Toubass, a small Palestinian governorate in the northeastern West Bank, located 21 kilometer northeast of Nablus, and few kilometers west of the Jordan River, not a day that passed, without facing obstacles and restrictions that are imposed by Israeli occupation to hinder their liberty to move from one place to another, let alone the deteriorating economic and social situations.
Local reports say that there is an increasing need to a number of economic, social, and health centers to challenge these kinds of obstacles and support the steadfastness of its residents.
Al-Shifa Dispensary, a specialized health center, started to offer its services to Toubass since 14 e years, and is still doing so with efforts exerted by health care committees to upgrade the medical services to the point that it became the most important medical center in the area.
Dr.Bassam Shaban, the dispensary director, told /humanityvoice/ that the dispensary was established in 1996 with very humble equipment and simple medical services that started to develop and grow up, due to the need for integrated medical services in line with the increasing health problems in the area, as result of daily sufferings of the citizens under the Israeli occupation.
Dr.Shaban added that “ the citizens have been suffering since many years due to the lack of suitable medical equipment and medicines, so this dispensary was established to fill the gaps and offer the necessary services of general medicine, emergency, X ray , laboratory analysis, and dentistry .
As for the specialized medical programs presently available, Dr. Shaban explained “ now we have Mother care, Healthy child, diabetes , school Health, and health empowerment and education” pointing out that Toubass dispensary, since it was launched, had exerted tremendous efforts to reach the promote areas and marginalized categories to provide them with suitable treatment, specially for the encircled areas by the Israeli forces that are still suffering from the Israeli heinous measures and their daily practices aiming at push the people to immigrate”.

In addition to routine services of general medicine, the dispensary with the support of the medical committee, has organized a Mobile Clinic that conduct regular visits to the neighboring villages using a specially equipped vehicle , with a medical staff and necessary drugs to treat people and strengthen their steadfastness .
Dr.Shaban, the dispensary director, explained that the mobile clinic visits included various villages to Toubass like Ain AlBaida, Bardla, Kardla, Almaleh, Tayaasir, Alfare’iah, Beit Dajan, Atouf , Salhab , and Farouch, withing a joint project , in coordination with International Care, and supported by European institutions.
He added that the Al-Shifa Dispensary include a medical staff of 22 regular employees and 25 specialized physicians covering most medical specialties, and provide service on daily basis, seven days a week.

Dr.Shaban, also said that with the increasing needs of the citizens and the deteriorating economic situation due to the Israeli occupation, specially with the launch of the first uprising (Intifadah) and difficulties confronting citizens to reach hospitals in nearby cities , it became necessary to inaugurate a delivery department in the year 2004, as we receive cases all-around the clock.
He elaborated, that the main goal of the center is to provide necessary service for the needy people and make it available to all vulnerable categories of the society, so we are admitting all citizens on free-charge basis or with a symbolic fees, pointing out that this covers the cases of martyrs families, handicapped, and needy people in general.
He added that the number of received cases in 2009 had reached 65765 , while the total number of heath and treatment services had reached 622507 till the end of 2009. The dispensary actually is serving 45 thousand citizens and the number of monthly visits of different citizens reached 6 thousands.

RK/Ab