Ref: 20/2023
Date: 15 March 2023
On Thursday, 09 March 2023, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) organized a closing ceremony for project: “Promote, Respect and Fulfill the Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Health in the Gaza Strip” implemented by PCHR in partnership with the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS) and funded by the European Union (EU).
The ceremony, which was held at al-Mashtal Hotel in Gaza City, has witnessed a broad participation of representatives of official institutions, associations, Unions, the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MOH)’s syndicates, and the celebrated graduates.
During the ceremony, a theater sketch titled “Quality of Life” was performed, simulating the health situation in the Gaza Strip and the patients’ suffering due to restrictions on their freedom of movement and access to treatment abroad. Also, an operetta was performed by the Palestine’s Children Council- Gaza Strip, that included children’s enjoyment of their rights, particularly to receive treatment and healthcare.
In his opening speech, Dr. Riyad al-Za’noun, Chairman of PCHR’s Board of Directors (BoD) and former Palestinian Health’s Minister, extended greetings to the Palestinian women on the International Women’s Day, stressing their effective role in building and developing the society. He also welcomed and appreciated this broad attendance and congratulated the celebrated female and male graduates, emphasizing their significant role in disseminating and promoting the right to health. He urged to be pioneers in the dissemination and implanting this culture in their life and their health departments as well as mainstreaming these ethics to improve the health services in a manner that respects the sacrifices of the Palestinian people. Dr. al-Za’noun also praised the EU role and its unwavering and prolonged support for the health projects in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) through the establishment of hospitals, healthcare centers and human development projects.
Mr. Ayman Fteiha, Office Supervisor at the EU-the Gaza Strip, indicated that this project came at a time Gaza Strip has gone through dramatic events and difficult environment. However, PCHR and PMRS continued to work on the project, hold training courses, facilitate patients’ movement, and obtain travel permits for them to receive treatment abroad, and implement all activities and events related to the project. He added that the Israeli Occupation bears responsibilities and should accordingly end the closure imposed on the Gaza Strip, allow the entry of medicines and medical equipment into the Strip, and take its responsibility towards the Gaza Strip’s patients. At the end Fteiha called on the Palestinian Authority (PA) to work on the localization of medical services, development of health sector and rehabilitation of the infrastructure.
Dr. ‘Ayed Yaghi, PMRS’s Director General in the Gaza Strip, talked about that the project and how it included various activities such as training the health sector personnel, and issuing the first report that tackles the social determinants and health conditions in the Gaza Strip. Yaghi said that he fully believes the participants will implement what they have learnt in the courses in their work in a way that positively improve the health situation. He added that international law obliges the occupying power to provide the basic needs of our occupied people, including the right to health. Yaghi also called upon the international community and the European Union (EU) to take action in order to end IOF attacks against the Palestinian people, especially the medical personnel and facilities.
Mr. Raji Sourani, PCHR’s Director, welcomed the attendees, the directors and representees of medical facilities, praising their role and acting as the first line of defense in light of the harsh challenges facing the health sector in the Gaza Strip. Sourani addressed the reasons behind the deterioration of the economic and social conditions, including the Israeli-imposed closure and the repercussions of the Palestinian internal division. Sourani commended the partnership and cooperation with PMRS and the EU’s role and continuous and long-term support for health projects in the oPt through building hospitals, healthcare facilities and human development projects, calling on the EU to fulfill its political duties and bear its responsibility towards ending the Israeli-imposed closure on the Gaza Strip. Sourani called on the EU to speak out for the Palestinian people and situation the same way they did in the Ukraine crisis.
Dr. Ikbar Qaddoura, Director of Gaza Health at MOH, thanked PCHR and the PMRS on behalf of the graduates for their efforts in raising healthcare personnel’s awareness of human rights and the right to health. Qaddoura also invited her female and male colleagues and fellow graduates in the training courses to spread awareness of the right to health to their peers and colleagues at work, which will reflect positively on improving the medical services for those in need.
At the end of the ceremony, PCHR presented 17 shields to institutions, associations and federations, in appreciation of their important role in the success of these courses. Certificates of participation were also distributed to the participants in these courses.
It is noteworthy that the project ” Promote, Respect, and Fulfill the Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Health in the Gaza Strip” included many activities such as holding conferences and workshops, preparing reports and studies, meeting those responsible for the fulfilment of right to health, monitoring and documenting violations of the right to health, and providing legal consultation and assistance to the Palestinian patients in the Gaza Strip, in addition to building and developing the capacities of the personnel at the governmental and non-governmental health sector and syndicates. Over the course of the project, 33 training courses were held, targeting 827 female and male participants from the medical personnel and right to health activists, including 402 females.
