JERUSALEM, April 30, 2012 (WAFA) – East Jerusalem’s main hospital, al-Maqasid, is at risk of closure due to severe financial crisis caused mainly by failure of the Palestinian Authority to pay fees for patients referred to it from the West Bank, a statement by the hospital’s board said on Monday.

The hospital is considered the main recipient of patients transferred by the Palestinian Ministry of Health for treatment if West Bank hospitals are unable to provide treatment.

The statement, placed as an ad on the front page of the Jerusalem-based Palestinian daily, al-Quds, said the ministry failed to meet its financial obligations toward the hospital causing a huge debt amounting in the millions of dollars.

The hospital administration blamed the Palestinian Authority for the deteriorating conditions in the hospital, including the hospitals inability to pay salaries for its employees for two months in a row or to import necessary medical supplies.

The hospital took out huge loans from several banks but now finds itself unable to pay back its debt resulting in banks refusing to give it new loans.

The hospital administration called on the PA to help solve this problem, warning of inevitable catastrophic consequences if this issue is not resolved.

M.H./M.S.