The Palestinian Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said that the total health expenditure for the year 2003 was US$503,091,242, and the per capita expenditure amounted to US$138.4.

In a press release issued on Sunday on Health Expenditure in the Palestinian Occupied Territories (OPT), PCBS revealed the health expenditure as percent of GDP was 13.0%, and the share of the Ministry of Health (MOH) of the total health expenditure was 16.5% and 2.9% for the non- profit institutions and 80.6% for households.

Data showed that the mean expenditures on health in the past two weeks for persons who received such service at governmental centers was NIS 54 in the Palestinian Territory, NIS23 at MOH governmental centers, NIS 25 at UNRWA centers, while persons expense is NIS 201 at private clinics, NIS90 at NGOs centers, NIS49 at pharmacies, and NIS 106 at Israeli and other centers.

Concerning expenditures on medical and services, data showed that mean of pocket money paid on doctors' fees was NIS43, NIS49 on medications, and NIS15 on lab. Tests and X- Rays, while NIS12 was paid on transportation, and NIS 8 on other non- medical services.

Meanwhile, PCBS data showed that the total expenditures of UNRWA on health in the year 2003 was US$13,454,000 in the Palestinian Territory, US$2,194,000 in the West Bank and US$11,260,000 in Gaza Strip. The survey added that the output value for the non- governmental and private health institutions was US$107,179,000 in the remaining West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2003.

© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)