Erik Fosse honoured for engagement in Gaza

Leader of the Interventional Centre, professor Erik Fosse was honoured for his engagement to save Palestinian lives during the recent war in Gaza. Dr. Fosse and Dr. Mats Gilbert from Tromsø, both representing the humanitarian organization Norwegian Aid Committee (NORWAC), turned out to be the only foreign health care workers to witness the initial phase of the Israeli attack on Gaza. In a reception last monday hosted by Rikshospitalet CEO Morten Reymert, a representative from the Minister of Health and Care Services, South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority CEO Bente Mikkelsen and Oslo University Board leader Steinar Martinsen thanked professor Fosse for risking his life to save lives of children, women and men at the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. Erik Fosse gave a presentation with a summary of what had happened. Fosse and Gilbert have written a Special Report "Inside Al-Shifa Hospital" that has been published in the leading medical journal The Lancet. The January 17th 2009 issue of the journal also has an Editorial "The medical conditions in Gaza" commenting on Fosse and Gilberts brave actions and stating that "-the collective punishment of Gazans is placing horrific and immediate burdens of injury and trauma on innocent civilians". Dr. Fosse is now on a 4 months leave to write a book together with Dr. Gilbert.