U.S. funding cuts hurt Lutheran hospital, many services for Palestinians
Augusta Victoria Hospital is among six East Jerusalem hospitals in financial dire straits.
A Lutheran World Federation hospital in East Jerusalem is one of six that will be affected by cuts to U.S. funding reported by media in early September.
Augusta Victoria Hospital serves all Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza and offers specialized care not available in other hospitals in the area, including radiation therapy for cancer patients and pediatric hemodialysis.
According to a budget approved by the U.S. Congress, the six hospitals in East Jerusalem, including Augusta Victoria Hospital, would have received $25 million this year to cover costs for patients referred by the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The State Department said only that it was redirecting the funds, the Associated Press reported.
