Belgium’s Ambassador to Israel, Ambassador John Cornet d’Elzivs and representative to the Palestinian Authority, Consul General Bruno Jans visited Save a Child’s Heart at the Wolfson Medical Center to hear about the organization and meet children being treated at the center, including Palestinian children from the West Bank and Gaza who were attending Tuesday’s free weekly cardiac clinic.

The delegation met with Professor Yitzhak Berlovitz, Director of the Wolfson Medical Center and were given a tour of the facilities by Dr. Sion Houri Director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. They were joined by Save a Child’s Heart Executive Director, Simon Fisher and Brussels Airlines’s, Roby Herskowicz. Brussels Airlines provides transport for children from Africa to Israel for their treatment through Save a Child’s Heart.

Dr Fayez Shakalyia, a pediatric cardiologist from Gaza who trained in the past with Save a Child’s Heart, spoke about the cooperation with the SACH medical team. Dr Shakalya travels from Gaza on Tuesdays to work together with Dr Tamir to examin and diagnose the children from Gaza and the West Bank. Dr. Ahmed Zarour, a Palestinian physician from the West Bank currently training to be a pediatric cardiac surgeon, spoke with the visitors about his experience training with the Save a Child’s Heart medical team and said he is very happy to part of this program.

Whilst at the clinic the group chatted with some of the children from the West Bank and Gaza who were at the Wolfson Medical Center to receive treatment and care for their hearts.

Read about Heart of the Matter which provides pediatric cardiac care to Palestinian children and training for Palestinian physicians. Heart of the Matter is supported by the European Union‘s Partnership for Peace program and USAID West Bank and Gaza program.