JERUSALEM, December 8, 2015
(WAFA) – Participants at the 4th annual conference of the East Jerusalem
Hospitals Network (EJHN) expressed on Sunday their deep concern regarding
Israeli troops’ constant raids on hospitals in Jerusalem and their continuous
violations of human rights; risking the safety of patients.
The conference, held in Notre
Dame of Jerusalem Center under the title 'Challenges &
Achievements', also stressed the importance of integration between
hospitals and medical centers in the city, to enable them to stand against
these Israeli assaults and to place Jerusalem's health system onto a
sustainable and comprehensive system of medical care.
The conference also announced
plans to improve the entire health eco system in the city of Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, participants tackled
the major issues facing hospitals in Jerusalem, most notably relating to increasing
political encroachments on health services, financial sustainability, in
addition to new ideas needed to enhance the quality of health services.
The conference brought together
'EJHN' doctors and other international and local medical partners who
are committed toward the improvement of the health sector in Jerusalem,
enhancing socio-economic conditions for Palestinian citizens in Jerusalem.
Adnan Husseini, the Governor of
Jerusalem, represented Palestinian officialdom while Ralph Tarraf, European
Union Representative, a main supporter
of the health system in Jerusalem, represented the EU countries. The ministry
of Health was represented by Abd Al-Rahim Swisa, the Ministry of Health
Representative and General Manager of West Bank's Hospitals; in addition to
Ameera Al-Hindi, Director of the Medical Referral Department.
“The provision of quality and
accessible health care is a major challenge that we are facing. Nonetheless,
hospitals of Jerusalem have shown great
improvements; an integrated role between the Governorate of Jerusalem and
Medical Institutions have made the choice to act and implement the most-far
reaching structural reforms,” said Al-Husseini.
The conference discussed
further ways to enhance the Hospitals' network and connection between members
in order to enable it to generate additional insights into optimal service
capabilities to meet increasing patients' needs.
Various calls for
diversification in funding and income resources were emphasized as necessary in
order for the hospitals’ network to remain viable and operational to enable it
to continue to provide the best medical services for all patients of the
Jerusalem vicinity, the West Bank and Gaza.
Stressing the same context,
Abdel Qader Husseini, chairman of 'EJHN', alluded that the Network is
working on developing strategies and implementing reforms to improve funding,
governance and the entire health services regime in Jerusalem to place the
health system in Jerusalem on sustainable long-term track.
In turn, Taraff assured the
audience that the European Union will continue its support to the health sector
in Jerusalem in order to deliver concrete benefits for the Palestinian
community as a whole.
He further affirmed the EU’s commitment to
improve the fiscal situation of the hospitals. 'We encourage the
management, employees and all stakeholders to cooperate together and continue
their efforts in parallel to those of the PA to guarantee a sustained
self-improving health sector foundation for the future'.
M.N./T.R.
