News

Networking for better healthcare: annual conference kicks off in Jerusalem

08-12-2011

A two-day conference aimed at raising awareness about the Palestinian health system and the services provided by the six member health care facilities is being organised today by the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network (EJHN) within the framework of an EU-funded project, "East Jerusalem Hospitals: Network for Quality". “The East Jerusalem hospitals play a crucial role in the Palestinian health system, providing services that are not available in other facilities across the West Bank and Gaza,” said Arafat Hidmi, Chair of the board of directors of Maqassed Society on behalf of the EJHN.
 
Participants in this first annual event include leaders from the local and international community, as well as staff from hospitals in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Hospital leaders presented their facilities in addition to various clinical and research specialties in an effort to strengthen the Palestinian health network. Among the keynote speakers was the Minister of Health, Fathi Abumoghli.
 
The EJHN includes six facilities: Princess Basma Rehabilitation Centre, August Victoria Hospital, Maqassed Hospital, St. John Eye Hospital, St. Joseph Hospital, and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society Hospital.
 
The East Jerusalem Hospitals serve as the main centres for specialised care within the Palestinian health system. Patients needing services and procedures that are not available in the West Bank and Gaza are referred for treatment in the EJHN facilities by the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Over half of the EJHN workload comes from referred patients from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. As such, the EJHN plays a critical role in providing health services to the Palestinian people.
 
The EJHN and its six facilities have been supported by the European Union and the World Health Organization (WHO) for the last four years. Underscoring the important role of the Network, Head of EU Operations, Sergio Piccolo said: “The EU is very happy to see this conference taking place. It showcases the achievements of the East Jerusalem Hospitals in medical terms. But it also highlights the need for close coordination and partnership - not only among East Jerusalem Hospitals, but also between the East Jerusalem Hospitals and the rest of the Palestinian health sector in the West Bank and in Gaza."
 
Through the latest phase of this programme, the EU provided €2.4 million, which enabled hospitals to improve the quality of their health services, upgrade their status to the highest international standards, and engage in joint initiatives and activities such as risk management and legal representation. Over the last few months, the EJHN has established a network coordination office based in the Palestinian Red Crescent Society Hospital.
 
The EJHN was established in 1997 under the leadership and guidance of the late Feisal Husseini, with the strategic vision of unifying the health facilities in East Jerusalem and emphasising their critical role within the Palestinian health system. In 2003, the EJHN began to officially institutionalise the Network as the first hospital network in East Jerusalem. The work involved developing institutions, improving the quality of the services provided, and ensuring a continuum of care.(ENPI Info Centre)
 
Read more
 
Press release
 
European Commission Technical Assistance Office for the West Bank and Gaza Strip
 
External Cooperation – Occupied Palestinian Territory
 
ENPI Info Centre – Occupied Palestinian Territory 


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