Kids Operating Room opens first children's operating room in the West Bank
A new dedicated paediatric operating theatre has officially opened at Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron - the first of an initial three permanent children's surgical theatres we have committed to delivering across the West Bank.
Getting here has not been straightforward. Transporting and installing more than 3,000 pieces of specialist surgical equipment into one of the world's most complex humanitarian environments tested us enormously. Against a backdrop of conflict, restricted movement and a healthcare system under enormous pressure, our team worked alongside incredible partners to make this happen.
It is one of our proudest moments.
Until now, children needing surgery at Al-Ahli Hospital were treated alongside adults, in wards and with equipment never designed for a child's body. That changes today. For the first time, the hospital has a dedicated space built and equipped specifically for young patients.
The impact is immediate. Previously, the surgical team operated just two days a week, sharing facilities with other services. With a dedicated operating room, they will now be able to operate throughout the week - specifically for children, including paediatric cardiac surgery.
Dr Youssef Al-Takrouri, General Director of Al-Ahli Hospital, said: "There is a long waiting list for children who need these operations, and some have to wait a long time for surgery. This new operating room will help us reduce that waiting list."
Every child in the world deserves the chance of safe, timely surgery close to home. The children of the West Bank are no different.
Our Co-founder Garreth Wood MBE travelled to Hebron for the opening alongside our Director of Global Operations Dave Tipping and Middle East Regional Director Tariq Shadid. Garreth reflected on what it meant to be there:
"Getting this operating room here has tested us enormously. But children in the West Bank still get appendicitis. They're still born with conditions that need surgery. Conflict doesn't change that - it just makes getting them the care they need much harder.
"Standing here today, with this room open and ready for children, I'm incredibly proud of what our team and our partners at Al-Ahli have achieved. And this is only the first. We've committed to an initial three operating rooms across the West Bank, and we're going to deliver them."
Tariq added: "This theatre isn't a temporary fix - it's permanent infrastructure that will serve children in Hebron for decades to come. Seeing it open, alongside our partners at Al-Ahli Hospital, is a huge moment for this project. And it's only the beginning."