No 5, 2009 PDF - Swedish Match

Solstickan
HHenry
Ascher chose to send the Solstickan Award prize
money to the Al-Shifa clinic, the health clinic in the
Palestinian refugee camp. The two doctors practicing at
the clinic receive a total of about 80 patients every day. The
burden of their work is incessant and there is not much
time to rest.
Ascher says that today, less than two years after the
clinic was completely destroyed by the Lebanese Army, the
health clinic has ben rebuilt and with financial help from
organizations such as the UN, Emmaus Björkå and the prize
money from the Solstickan Foundation there is now access
to clean water, medicine, equipment and material.
Ascher, who served as a doctor in the camp for a total of
14 months in the 1980s, says: “The war in 2007 was one of
the worst battles since the civil war. Many families in the
camp are now housed in emergency accommodation and
most of them are in cramped conditions. The situation is
causing frustration, concern and insecurity for children and
adults.”
When normal frames of reference, such as family, school
and local society no longer function, the social protection
network breaks down. The Al-Shifa health clinic therefore
plays a central role in the people’s lives.
“The clinic is important and doctors and nurses
are doing as much as they can for all those who need
treatment,” Ascher says.
Many refugees have psychiatric problems after having
been traumatized by what has happened to their loved
ones and to their homes. These experiences also manifest
themselves in several psychosomatic symptoms.
“Chronic pains, headaches and stomach problems are
common,” Ascher says. “In terms of purely physical injuries,
burns and shrapnel damage, as well as infections are all
common too. Doctors also perform basic operations and
the clinic offers dentistry as well.”
Everyday is a struggle and the refugees feel a great
amount of hopelessness. Thanks to the Swedish doctors
30 inside | may 2009