The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of
Wimbledon visited Qatar yesterday [20 May] to present a new
partnership focused on providing healthcare services to
Palestinian evacuees in Qatar.
The proposal for a UK-Qatar Health Partnership for Palestinians
brings together world leading experts to provide clinical
training for those professionals providing care to Palestinians
as well as mental health and support to Palestinians and their
families.
The first tranche of project funding by the UK will be an initial
contribution of £140,000. This will fund expert-led training by
the David Nott foundation, a British medical training agency, for
50 doctors and health practitioners who are treating Palestinian
patients in Qatar. The David Nott foundation draws on the latest
technology, including Virtual Reality, to simulate casualty
scenarios and teach medical professionals best practice in trauma
care.
The project will also cover a mental health needs assessment to
provide a bespoke psychosocial support programme for Palestinians
evacuated to Qatar.
Ahead of the visit, , Minister of State
for Middle East, said:
As the humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached catastrophic
levels, the need for the international community to work closer
to support the Palestinian people and deliver vital aid to them
becomes even greater.
The partnership we are announcing today will support the doctors,
nurses and other health professionals treating Palestinian
evacuees in Qatar, who have suffered immense physical and mental
health issues in the conflict.
Qatar has played a pivotal role to mediate a settlement to the
conflict, including securing the release of hostages and for
unhindered humanitarian access. As partners we will continue to
work closely with Qatar to bring this conflict to a sustainable
end and strengthen the irreversible pathway to deliver the two
state solution of Israel and Palestine and lasting peace in the
Middle East.
In December 2023, HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani
pledged the treatment of 1,500 wounded Palestinians and the
sponsorship of 3,000 orphans from Gaza. This partnership will
support Qatar's ambitions to achieve this goal.
The Minister also held talks with Qatari counterparts to discuss
the ongoing conflict in Israel/Gaza, recognising Qatar's
essential role in the ongoing efforts to mediate a sustainable
end to the conflict.
He held further meetings to discuss improving collaboration
on delivering aid into Gaza and increasing UK-Qatar cooperation
on international development programmes around the world.
