St John Ambulance and Rescue Malta and the Maltese Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta are joining forces to organise a charity concert featuring popular film and classical music, performed by the Armed Forces of Malta Band. Proceeds will go in aid of the St John Eye Hospital Group and the Holy Family Hospital of Bethlehem – two life-saving institutions currently under immense pressure due to the ongoing conflict in the region.
The St John Eye Hospital Group transforms lives by restoring sight in a region burdened by decades of unrest, where many live without access to even the most basic healthcare. It is the oldest and only charitable provider of expert eye care in the Middle East, operating hospitals, clinics, and outreach programmes in the West Bank, Gaza, and Jerusalem. For more than 140 years, the Group has treated all patients – regardless of ethnicity, religion, or ability to pay.
Its flagship hospital in East Jerusalem handles some of the most complex eye cases, with referrals from its satellite clinics and hospitals across the region, including Bethlehem and Nablus. It is also the first Palestinian hospital to be awarded the prestigious Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation – a globally recognised benchmark for patient safety and service quality. The Hospital Group sees over 145,000 patients each year and performs around 7,000 eye surgeries. Remarkably, 80% of eye conditions in the area are treatable.
The Holy Family Hospital of Bethlehem is a flagship humanitarian project of the Order of Malta, serving a population of nearly one million across Bethlehem and surrounding areas. It offers high-quality maternity care to all women, regardless of background or means. Originally opened in 1888, the hospital was rededicated in 1990 as a maternity facility at the request of Saint Pope John Paul II. Since then, over 100,000 babies have been safely delivered, with a near-perfect survival rate.
It remains the only hospital in the region with a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, equipped to care for premature babies born before 32 weeks or weighing as little as one pound. The hospital also supports the health of local women through its Well Woman Clinic and Gestational Diabetes Clinic. Its Outreach Clinic serves refugee camps and remote desert communities. Due to the lack of advanced medical education institutions in the West Bank, the hospital also offers ongoing training to local healthcare professionals.
The continuing conflict has only deepened the challenges faced by these institutions. Nevertheless, both Christian and Muslim staff work side-by-side to provide hope and care to the vulnerable. No patient is ever turned away. Their commitment to life is unwavering.
The charity concert will take place at St Paul’s Anglican Pro-Cathedral in Valletta on 6 June at 7:30 pm.
For more information about the two hospitals, please visit:
Holy Family Hospital: www.birthplaceofhope.org
St John Eye Hospital Group: www.stjohneyehospital.org
