Indonesian hospital inaugurated in Gaza

Indonesia has become the latest country to complete a major medical project in the reconstruction of war-battered Gaza by inaugurating a hospital in the blockaded Palestinian enclave.

An official at a Jakarta-based medical humanitarian organization that launched the publically funded project recalled to Anadolu Agency on Sunday how it had taken more than five years to realize the project due to the Israeli blockade and the 2014 conflict.

“Because of the bureaucratic difficulties, construction could only start in 2011," Rima Manzanaris, operations manager at Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C), said by phone.

"Even in times of war, the development of the Indonesia Hospital continued. And the procurement of a variety of medical equipment, electrical installations, telephone networks, and the Internet was recently completed late last year," she added.

Israel has maintained a tight blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, when Palestinian resistance group Hamas took control of the territory -- a move that has ravaged the strip’s economy and shaved around 50 percent from its Gross Domestic Product.

The Indonesia Hospital, inaugurated by the country’s vice president Saturday, is the latest foreign hospital to open in Gaza, following the $34 million Turkish-Palestinian Friendship, a project Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – then premier -- agreed to sponsor in 2010.

Earlier this month, Erdogan reiterated expectations that construction of a second hospital would be completed soon, alongside that of another facility sponsored by Qatar – whose Red Crescent humanitarian organization previously refurnished a hospital damaged in the 2014 Israeli military operation.

At the Indonesia Hospital’s handover ceremony Saturday night, Jusuf Kalla said that the institution would strengthen the relationship between his country and Gaza, describing it as a “symbol of cooperation” with Palestinians.

National news agency Antara reported him expressing hope that the hospital would serve as an example that positive action could be taken to help Palestinians, and as an effort in support of their independence.

"We certainly cannot just pray, or demonstrate every Sunday [for Palestine’s independence],” he said at the event attended by Palestinian Health Minister Jawad Awwad and Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia Fariz Mehdawi.

“But the truth lies in real actions such as what MER-C volunteers have done," he added.

Indonesia does not recognize Israel.

Manzanaris said Sunday that MER-C continues to collect donations from Indonesians for the hospital, which has been treating patients since late December.

“We are looking for donations by – among other ways – presenting the hospital’s development process from school to school. Many students have contributed, even if with only a few thousand rupiah," she told Anadolu Agency.

Indonesia’s economy has been experiencing a slowdown, with its growth recorded at just 4.7 percent in the third quarter of last year, according to the Central Statistics Agency.

Its currency depreciated nearly 16 percent against the dollar as of Sept. 2015.

The $9-million Indonesia Hospital, currently the largest hospital in northern Gaza, had originally been intended to provide physical and psychological treatment for patients traumatized by conflict, until the Palestinian Health Ministry requested that it function as a general hospital.

The facility, which has two stories and a basement, is equipped with 90 inpatient rooms, 10 emergency rooms, a laboratory, a radiology room and 10 intensive care units with a capacity of 100-150 patients.

Jose Rizal, MER-C spokesperson, was quoted by Kompas.com as saying, “the opening was greeted enthusiastically by residents of Gaza."

He added that the existence of the hospital, where at least 300 Gazans have received treatment, serves to raise awareness among Indonesians about the difficult conditions in which Palestinians live.

"This [hospital] is for humanity, and because we have good relations with the Palestinians," he said.