The Holy Family Hospital, in Bethlehem, is a joint project of the whole Order of Malta under the operational responsibilities of the Association Française de l'Ordre de Malte. Since 1990, more than 25,000 babies have been born there. The hospital provides indispensable service in the area. The hospital actually offers pregnant women of the region the only possibility to give birth to their babies under good medical conditions. The first goal of the hospital has been, is, and will always be to provide high quality maternity care for all who come regardless of race, religion, culture or social condition.

American and European authorities confirm that the hospital has an excellent standard of care. Due to the continuing unstable political and very tight economic situation, the need for the hospital services has increased in recent years.

The Palestinian region has no "national" medical service. Thus, hospital management costs are entirely paid by the Order. The patients are asked to pay what they can afford. The charge for total antenatal care, accommodation, delivery including all medications is (US) $120. For those unable to pay anything, charges are reduced or waived.

The heavy burden is borne by the French Association of the Order of Malta assisted by the National Associations in Germany, USA, Ireland and Switzerland and by the European Union. More recently the Holy Family Hospital Foundation, an organisation created by members of the Order in the United States, collect funds for the hospital, which, in the last years, contributed to guarantee the hospital functionality.

The Hospital is run by a highly qualified team of 87 people, including 8 specialists, and 5 resident doctors, 45 nurses, 5 paramedics, 4 administrative staff and 20 additional support staff. Since February 1990 there have been 25,000 deliveries (with more than 3,200 deliveries in 2000) with no mortalities, and this unique hospital offers the only neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) in Bethlehem. It is the only hospital in Palestine recognised by the RCOG in London for training doctors, with more than 15,000 outpatient visits per year. The total budget of the hospital for the year 2001 was $2,027,000. The subvention given by the Order of Malta was $1,264,000.

Here's a brief history of the hospital. In 1882 the Daughters of Charity bought a large plot of land in Bethlehem where they laid the cornerstone for a 80-bed hospital. By a Firman in 1892, the Turkish Sultan gave the Sisters of Charity the license to build and maintain the hospital in Bethlehem. At a later date, the Turkish Authorities gave the hospital tax exemption within the Mytilene and Constantinople Agreements signed with the French Government.The Holy Family Hospital opened its doors in 1895, and grew into a busy general hospital, which provided medical, surgical and maternity facilities for the people of Bethlehem for almost a 100 years. In 1985, the hospital was forced to close due to political and social factors associated with the Arab-Israeli conflict. That same year, in response to the crisis, the Order of Malta decided to re-open one wing as a 28-bed maternity unit. It received assistance from the European Union for its renovation and equipment. On the 26th February 1990, the first baby was born in the new facility. In 1997, due to the increase in activity, an extension was added to include two extra delivery rooms, a second operating room, nine extra beds and a neonatal unit. Again, the European Union generously helped funding the equipment.

During the year 2001, the number of babies who were taken care of in the neonatal unit was 277 and the number of deliveries was 1839. In April 2001, the hospital received an equipped mobile clinic, which was generously donated by the O'Neil Foundation in the United States. It would permit the team to bring medical and social care to the doorsteps of the patients existing in pockets of poverty in remote hillside communities, where there is a lack of basic services like running water, electricity, public clinic etc. Unfortunately, the hospital has been unable to operate this mobile clinic because of the situation. Due to the increase in activity a larger and much needed out-patient facility was opened in July 2001 on another wing of the old hospital. Even with the dramatic conditions prevailing in Bethlehem now, the maternity hospital still operates.

For current information visit the hospital's website