Locked Out of Care: Sustaining Emergency Health Services in the West Bank
“I constantly experience anxiety and fear when I think about one of my children needing urgent medical care—and not being able to reach a medical centre,” says Nisreen*, a mother of six from Al-Karmel, a village in South Hebron. Ashraf*, a young student from the village, shares her fear as he recalls a frightening incident: “One of my classmates got injured, but the clinic couldn’t help. He needed to go to the hospital in the city, but the roads were closed. We were all so scared.”
Since October 2023, communities across the West Bank have struggled to access emergency healthcare amid rising violence, strict movement restrictions, and growing financial hardship. Many local clinics operate only a few days a week and often lack essential supplies and material. Roadblocks, checkpoints, and sudden closures frequently cut villages off from hospitals altogether, making even short journeys to care facilities nearly impossible. In emergencies—such as injuries, heart attacks, or complicated childbirth—families are left in a terrifying state of uncertainty. Sadly, delays in medical response have already led to tragic outcomes over the past 18 months.
“Even though the nearest hospital is just five kilometres away, reaching it is nearly impossible. Roads are blocked, transportation is scarce, and checkpoints can stay closed for days,” Nisreen* explains. Dua*, a member of the village council, echoes these concerns: “Medical teams can’t get into our community, and we can’t get out. This leaves us extremely vulnerable in critical situations. The situation is even worse for nearby Bedouin communities in Yatta, including Twanah, Al-Jawaya, Mnaizel, Khillet Saleh, and Ma'in. During frequent closures, even basic healthcare becomes unreachable. These families rely entirely on the small clinic in Al-Karmel.”
To address this crisis, World Vision is partnering with the Ministry of Health to establish 20 emergency Stabilisation Points in Primary Health Clinics (PHCs) across the West Bank. These facilities are equipped to provide immediate care when hospital access is blocked, focusing on stabilising patients before they can be transferred to higher-level care. Al-Karmel’s clinic is among the first to receive this critical upgrade.
“Setting up a stabilisation point here is a vital step forward,” says Dua*. “It means quicker response times, immediate medical support, and greater protection for our community and neighbouring villages. It brings us closer to our goal of fair, reliable healthcare for everyone—even in a very remote and vulnerable area.”
So far, six stabilisation points have been equipped with advanced trauma and emergency delivery kits. Close to 220 medical staff—including doctors, nurses, and midwives—have received specialised training to handle urgent cases effectively and 150 more will be trained in the coming weeks on delivery in emergency.
Back in Al-Karmel, Nisreen* expresses a sense of hope: “Equipping the clinic has eased our fears. It gives us peace of mind knowing help is close by if one of our children falls ill or gets injured.” Ashraf*, also shares her relief. Looking at the road zigzagging among the hills of the south of West Bank, he concludes: “no one should have to be scared not knowing how they will reach emergency services.”
*All names have been changed