Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem is located 1,500 steps from the birthplace of Christ. It is a state-of-the-art maternity and neonatal critical care centre serving poor and at-risk women, infants, and children throughout the region. It serves without regard to religion, ethnicity, or ability to pay.

The running costs of the hospital are heavily subsidised by the Order of Malta, as the Order took over the facility in 1985 at the behest of Pope Saint John Paul II.

As the war wages on in Gaza, the shutdown of Bethlehem continues to mean very few have salaries and as a result fewer families can contribute to their care as a medical bill competes with a bag of groceries. Our contracts with the UN and the government of Palestine, that normally cover a fraction of the cost of some deliveries and NICU care for refugees, have also dried up.

Supply prices have also increased due to the conflict.

Holy Family Hospital Foundation is redoubling efforts to meet this funding gap to maintain full salaries and full services until the resumption of peace.

However, deliveries of babies do not stop for conflict or war. 

Holy Family is the only hospital in the region that can manage high-risk pregnancies and care for premature babies.

The Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is running at near full capacity and the number of deliveries is stable. The Hospital has been receiving many calls to transfer in women with high-risk pregnancies.

Holy Family Hospital needs help now to continue to champion life and to continue serving those in desperate need.

A donation to our Emergency Relief Fund will allow the Hospital to continue caring for the most vulnerable of Bethlehem.

Holy Family Hospital needs help now to continue to champion life and to continue serving those in desperate need.

• CHEQUES – payable to ‘Order of Malta’ and sent to Order of Malta, PO Box 79, Caringbah, NSW 1495
• DIRECT DEPOSIT – Acc Name: Order of Malta, BSB 083 453, Acc: 44888 1897 (please email your receipt details to info@orderofmalta.org.au)