Bethlehem Psychiatric Hospital
| Bethlehem Psychiatric Hospital مستشفى بيت لحم للطب النفسي | |
|---|---|
| Geography | |
| Location | Bethlehem city, Bethlehem Governorate, West Bank, the State of Palestine |
| Coordinates | 31°41′56.5346″N 35°11′32.0424″E / 31.699037389°N 35.192234000°E |
| Organisation | |
| Type | District General |
| Services | |
| Beds | 140 |
| History | |
| Founded | 1922 |
| Links | |
| Lists | Hospitals in the State of Palestine |
Bethlehem Psychiatric Hospital, or Dr. Muhammad Saeed Kamal Psychiatric Hospital, (Arabic: مستشفى بيت لحم للطب النفسي) is a Palestinian medical institution located in the city of Bethlehem in the West Bank.[1][2] It is the only hospital of its kind specializing in psychiatric treatment in the West Bank and has operated for over 100 years.[3]
History
The hospitals main building was constructed in 1898 and had an area of 2 dunams, initially used as a charitable orphnage for Armenian children. The building was repurposed in 1922 by British Mandate authorities and converted into a hospital for mentally ill men. It was converted to a psychiatric hospital for men and women in 1957 by the Jordanian authorities.[1] In 1992, it was named after the physician Dr. Muhammad Saeed Kamal in recognition of his efforts and administration of the hospital between 1959 and 1992.[4][5][1] In 2004, the hospital was damaged during a raid by the IDF.[6][7][8] The facility had 75 staff and 250 patients in 2004, at the time, there were a total of 9 psychiatrists and 15 clinical psychologists in the west bank, which had a population of 2.7 million.[8]
Between 2016 and 2019, the hospital was renovated as part of a European Union funded project in collaboration with the WHO.[9] In 2025, it had been announced that the mens ward, which had been unused for years by then, had been renovated and reopened with support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency.[10]
Services
Its clinical capacity is approximately 140 beds. As of 2020, 150-170 patients resided in the hospital.[11] The hospital complex includes 4 buildings dedicated to the patients, and occupies an area of 60 dunams.[12][11]
Comprehensive treatment services include:
- Pharmacological treatment, psychotherapy, occupational rehabilitation therapy, community mental health services, outpatient clinics, electroencephalography (EEG), and forensic medicine.
- Educational and Training Services.
- The hospital is recognized as a teaching hospital by both the Jordanian and Palestinian Medical Councils.
- It offers programs for the qualification and training of psychiatry resident physicians, interns, medical students (especially from Al-Quds University), nursing college students, and students of humanities such as social work.[13][14][15]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "مستشفى بيت لحم للطب النفسي.. عندما تعالج العرب في فلسطين". Al Jazeera (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-11-10.
- ^ "Beyond the walls: a community centre at the Bethlehem Psychiatric Hospital, Palestine". TAMassociati. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
- ^ Network (PNN), Palestine News. "مستشفى بيت لحم للطب النفسي: تجاوزنا أزمة الكورونا وبقيت الوصمة!". pnn.ps (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-11-10.
- ^ "مستشفى بيت لحم للأمراض النفسية والعصبية قلعة تاريخية ...وقصص مأساوية". وكـالـة مـعـا الاخـبـارية (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-11-10.
- ^ "Dr. Kamal Mental Health Hospital/Bethlehem". mhpss.ps. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
- ^ "اعتقلت 41 مواطناً بينهم 4 من موظفي المستشفى والخدمات الطبية" [41 citizens were arrested, including 4 hospital and medical services employees.]. www.al-ayyam.ps (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2 Jan 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
- ^ "Palestinian fugitives draw hospitals into line of fire". Christian Science Monitor. Sep 24, 2004. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
- ^ a b Giacaman, Rita; Arya, Neil; Summerfield, Derek (July 2005). "Establishing a mental health system in the Occupied Palestinian Territories". International Psychiatry: Bulletin of the Board of International Affairs of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. 2 (9): 16–18. ISSN 1749-3676. PMID 6733141. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
- ^ "The closing ceremony of the mental health project in the occupied Palestinian territory". www.emro.who.int (in French). 13 June 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
- ^ "WHO and KOICA Support Expansion of Mental Health Services at Bethlehem Psychiatric Hospital". www.emro.who.int. 4 December 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
- ^ a b "انتهاك حقوق المرضى النفسيين...تجاوزات خطرة في مشفى بيت لحم". The New Arab (in Arabic). 17 May 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
- ^ "فرار 4 مرضى من مستشفى الطب النفسي ببيت لحم" [Four patients escape from Bethlehem psychiatric hospital]. The New Arab (in Arabic). 8 Jan 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
- ^ "الكيلة تعلن البدء بإعادة الترميم في مستشفى بيت لحم للأمراض النفسية". www.al-ayyam.ps (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-11-10.
- ^ "The psychiatric hospital in Bethlehem, the only one in the West Bank. | The New Humanitarian". www.thenewhumanitarian.org. 2008-04-05. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
- ^ "New approach to mental illness in Bethlehem (Nov. 2014) - WHO article". United Nations. November 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2026.