Non-Jewish Voluntary Health Services in Palestine before 1948 (Nakba), British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 613. Chapter XVI: Social Services : Section 1: Health Services : (a) General Outline

CHAPTBR XVI.

12. The Tel Aviv Municipality bas, almost since the start and in full measure from 1931 onwards, shouldered the health responsibilities of a local authority. n• now supports maternity and infant welfare, school and other health services and maintains a general hospital of 300 beds, a ratio of 7 per cent. of the total bed strength of the country. The following figures indicate the annual expenditure of the township on health services at different periods:-

£P.

1935 95,029

1940 120,172

1944 315,912

Government assists the hospital by way of capital and maintenance grants.

13. The bulk of the remaining Jewish medical effort is represented by six hospitals. Four of these were established before the war of 1914-18, the remaining two in the last 20 years. Their combined bed strength amounts to 13 per cent. of the country's total. They are supported by funds from various sources in and outside the country, including, in most cases, substantial revenue from patients' fees. Records of the annual expenditure of this group are not available but are estimated at £P.160,000 for 1944. There is also a State-aided Jewish Society for the Care of the Tuberculous. It supports a fairly large hospital and a number of clinics. As already indicated the Jewish community supports its own infant welfare and school services, which are also State-aided.

NON-JEWISH VOLUNTARY SERVICES :

14. These services represent an important part of the general medical provision for the population. Before the war of 1914-18 they comprised six British, four French, three German and two Italian hospitals. The British hospitals are philanthropic and missionary in aim and receive no official support. The others are or were maintained by religious bodies with a measure of indirect encouragement from their respective governments. They are supported by funds from the countries whose nationals sponsor them and by patients' fees. The majority of their patients are Arabs. The pre-war bed strength ratio of this group was 29 per cent. of the country's total, or, in terms of nationality, British 11, French 11. German 4 and Italian 3 per cent. Their annual expenditure

613