KUALA LUMPUR, 28 Jan 2009: The Malaysian Medical Relief Society (Mercy Malaysia) intends to build a rehabilitation centre in Rafah at the Gaza-Egypt border.
Its president, Datuk Dr Jemilah Mahmood, said Rafah was the most appropriate location to build the centre to facilitate immediate transfer of patients to Egypt if the Israeli assault on Gaza was to recur.
“What is crucial is to set up a physiotherapy centre because there are many civilians who lost their arms and legs…besides that, our task is also to provide tents, clean water and proper sanitation for residents,” she added.
Speaking at a press conference after receiving contributions from the National Heart Institute (IJN) for the Mercy humanitarian fund here today, Jemilah said donations to the fund had reached RN7.3 million and that the money would be used to accommodate the needs and reduce the sufferings of the people in Gaza.
Meanwhile, IJN raised RM50,000 for the Palestine humanitarian fund. The amount comprised RM30,000 from the staff of IJN Holding, RM15,000 from senior doctors and RM5,000 collected from visitors at IJN.
“It is hoped that IJN too will be able to send volunteers, comprising eye surgeons and psychotherapists, to Gaza,” added Jemilah.
Meanwhile, IJN’s chief paediatrician Dr Mazeni Alwi said a few IJN medical staff had registered to become volunteers in Palestine.
Earlier, Jemilah gave a talk on the situation in Gaza. Palestinian paediatrician Dr Abdul Raheem was also supposed to give a similar talk, but could not continue with his speech when he was overcome by emotion. — Bernama
