It might be acceptable to say that people have become accustomed to discontent and complaint throughout the centuries of foreign rule. It is safe to say that the Palestinian self-rule experience is in its infancy, sometimes moving forward and other times stumbling; but it, nonetheless, is a river running its course, as described by Mr. Hussien Hijazi’s article in Al-Ayyam on 27 September 1998. In his article, he says that corruption and corrupt people are like wood splinters the float on the surface of a big river.
We can find the reasoning for people’s complaints in the fact that their interests are hindered by bureaucracy. It is now extremely difficult to obtain permission to open a commercial company; thus raising the question as to whether there is a policy to hinder economic growth rather than encourage it. Simultaneously, there are people who take pride in the achievements of the Palestinian Authority in building our society, establishing ministries and organizations, infrastructure projects, negotiations with Israel, and in the United Nations. One might even agree that the threat to declare a Palestinian State forced Israel to withdraw from some Palestinian land and stop settlement activity in other Palestinian areas.
However, there is no justification to the severe lack of pharmaceutical products from governmental healthcare centers, leading to doctors in the Ramallah hospital threat to halt all surgery due to the lack of silk and cat gut. It is also impossible to understand why the Ministry of Health does not have a reserve of children vaccinations for next year. Do bureaucracy and neglect justify depriving our children of their vaccinations?
Minister of Health, Dr. Riyad El-Za’noun, undertook the responsibility of rebuilding the Ministry of Health. He invested a lot of time and effort in this task even before the establishment of the Palestinian Authority. Nonetheless, we find Palestinian health concerns still at a crucial crossroads. What is the reason?
The Minister of Health says that he has no specific budget allocated to the it; and the Finance Ministry says that they don’t have any finances.
Where is the truth? Some say that the Finance Ministry spends large sums of money on lavish apartments and fancy cars for “influential people” in Gaza and Ramallah.
Is it a matter of priorities? Is it bad planning and administration? Where is the role of the old and new Cabinets? Is it the responsibility of the Legislative Council? How long can we stay quiet on this danger threatening the lives of our children?
The Palestinian Ministry of Health is full of problems. There are administrative problems and power center affecting appointments and operations. Knowing the health situation in Palestine, the Ministry of Health only spends $US 30 per capita annually, whereas the Israeli Ministry of Health spends $US 600.
Before asking mercy from the world, we should be merciful towards ourselves.
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