The PCRF Podcast

Since the closing of Shifa Hospital and other pediatric centers in northern Gaza, the issue of neonatal care for Palestinian babies has been a topic of much discussion. 

Dr. Zeina Kilbawi, from PCRF's Medical Advisory Board, interviews Dr. Mohammed Salama.  Dr. Salama is the head of the Neonatal Intensive Care at Emirati Hospital in Rafah/Gaza.  He discusses and the current state of care in Gaza. 

Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon from the UK who has been volunteering in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the most recent violence on October 7. He has been on the front line of providing humanitarian medical care for patients in several different hospitals in Gaza City.

In this episode, Nizar Albarqi joins us to share his experience as one of PCRF's first patients over 30 years ago.

We delve into:

• His present-day life in Gaza.
• His story of being among the first injured children to ever leave Gaza for medical care abroad.
• The profound impact of PCRF's support on his life and on countless other children in Gaza.

To learn more about the PCRF's Treatment Abroad program, visit: https://www.pcrf.net/treatment-abroad-program

In this episode Dr. Samer Elbabaa joins us to discuss his role as both a volunteer surgeon and as president of PCRF's Medical Advisory Board.  We discuss his experience as a PCRF volunteer for over 15 years and how he is helping to shape the future of the PCRF.

For information about the PCRF's Medical Advisory Board please visit: 

https://www.pcrf.net/team/medical-advisory-board

In this episode we meet Sarah Alrayyes, The PCRF's chapter coordinator.  She helps us learn more about the different ways people can get involved with the PCRF.

PCRFs Get Involved page:  https://www.pcrf.net/get-involved

Contact Sarah: [email protected]

In this episode we talk to Dr. Besh Barcega, an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics at Loma Linda University who led a three-member emergency medicine team from the USA into the Gaza Strip to assess emergency medical needs and help guide effective interventions on the ground to those most in need.


Dr. Barcega is the head of our Emergency Medicine committee on our Medical Advisory Board, helping to guide PCRF in the most effective way to respond to the urgent and long-term needs in this field of medicine.

You can watch a video of the team's work in Gaza here: https://youtu.be/chkMAsXFwPE 

Learn more about about the PCRF's Urgent Gaza Relief Program on the homepage of our website:  https://www.pcrf.net/



• Huda Al Masri
• New PICU
• New CCU

Here are links to learn more:

https://www.pcrf.net/news/pcrf-starts-building-new-pediatruc-icu-in-ramallah.html

Recent related Missions:

https://www.pcrf.net/news/pediatric-cardiology-mission-in-our-new-catheterization-lab-in-ramallah.html

https://www.pcrf.net/news/medical-advisory-mission-to-the-huda-al-masri-pediatric-cancer-department.html

Larry and Steve discuss the silver medal finish for Palestine’s baseball team in the West Asia Cup along with some discussion about the recent missions in Gaza.

Link to story about the West Asia Cup:  https://www.dawn.com/news/1734115

You can learn more about the missions using the links below:

https://www.pcrf.net/news/brazilian-ophthalmic-surgeon-begins-mission-in-gaza.html

https://www.pcrf.net/news/brazilian-orthopedic-oncological-surgeon-begins-mission-in-gaza.html

https://www.pcrf.net/news/italian-hepatobiliary-and-pancreatic-surgery-team-begins-mission-in-gaza.html

Steve also discusses the organization's efforts to provide relief to the earthquake victims in Syria and Turkey: PCRF Earthquake Relief

Join Steve, Zeena, and Larry for discussion about the role we hope this podcast will play as part of the PCRF.  We talk about Steve and Zeena's latest trip to Palestine and the progress the organization has made with its various programs including the cancer centers in the West Bank and Gaza.

Learn more about the PCRF programs here: The PCRF Website