Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Catholic News

Home

Home
Catholic
Religion News
Catholic hospital in Jordan struggles to help Syrian refugees

Catholic hospital in Jordan struggles to help Syrian refugees

Last updated on: January 17, 2013 at 6:52 pm by CNA Daily News

Catholic hospital in Jordan struggles to help Syrian refugees 2013-01-17T18:52:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Rome, Italy, Jan 17, 2013 / 11:52 am (CNA/EWTN News).- A Jordanian Catholic hospital is appealing for more money to help with the growing influx of Syrian refugees fleeing the conflict in their homeland.

"What we're asking for is just to help us help others," said Sister Alessandra Fumagalli, at a Catholic Near East Welfare Association gathering on Jan. 16 at the Vatican.

"It's really an emergency," she added.

Sr. Fumagalli made her remarks at the headquarters of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, speaking alongside Cardinal Edwin O'Brien, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri and the Archbishop of Ottawa, Terrence Prendergast.

The hospital in the Jordanian town of Karak, known as "the Italian Hospital," had to stop construction work it began in 2011 because it ran out of money.

But if enough donations are made, it could have a dialysis ward aimed specifically at the increasing number of children suffering from kidney problems caused by bad water.

The hospital, run by the Comboni sisters, would also expand its capacity to care for pregnant women rooms for women.

It receives patients from a part of Jordan that extends from the area of Tafilah to the Dead Sea, a region that has about 300,000 residents.

But the Syrian conflict between those loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and those opposed to his regime has brought a huge influx of refuges to Jordan. The number of refugees in the area served by the Italian Hospital has now reached over 10,000.

"They are not covered because they're too far away from humanitarian help, which is mostly in the north of Jordan," Sr. Fumagalli told CNA on Jan. 16.

The sister, originally from the Italian town of Varese, recalled how in the last 70 years the hospital received other waves of refugees, including Palestinians and Iraqis.

The hospital has 40 beds, 30 consultant doctors and 5 resident doctors, but the space for patients remains limited.

"We have 15 people coming in three times a day because we just don't have enough seats for them," she said.

"We can't afford to buy medical equipment, so CNEWA is helping us a lot in these things," Sr. Fumagalli explained.

The Catholic charity organized the event where Sr. Fumagalli spoke. It brought together over 120 participants, including the Italian actor Giorgio Lupano and Italian political representatives, hoping to tell Italians of the worsening situation for Christians in the Middle East.

"The main purpose was to raise awareness in Italy of how much the Eastern Churches are in need, in order to support them," said Emanuelle Latini, the administrator of the association's office at the Vatican.

"The more people know about the work we do, the more they will want to help," he added.

But Sr. Fumagalli was not the only one who spoke about Christians in the region during the conference.

Issam Bishara, the group's director for Egypt, Lebanon and Syria, spoke about the level of poverty in the Palestinian refugee camp Dbayeh, located in the suburbs of Beirut.

"We've a dream to make this area good for everybody and to continue our service there," said Sr. Fumagalli said.

To find out more, please visit: www.cnewa.org.

Middle East - Africa

Uncategorized

Previous Post

January 17, 2013

European religious freedom ruling greeted as step forward

Next Post

January 17, 2013 Pope's former butler given hospital job

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

A woman who had suffered bleeding for twelve years was healed by touching Jesus' what?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The hairs of his head His cloak His feet His hand