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Mainstreaming the rights of people with disability in Palestinian ministries, 18 February 2013
18 February 2013 Ramallah: National efforts to recognize and protect the rights of disabled persons received strong endorsement from the Palestinian government in Ramallah today, during a seminar sponsored by Diakonia (Sweden)/NAD (Norwegian Association of the Disabled) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in the occupied Palestinian territories to mainstream disability.
Prime Minister Salam Fayyad opened the meeting, along with WHO head of office Tony Laurance, and Diakonia/NAD Director Cecilia Angelid. The seminar was conducted by a WHO-Geneva technical expert on disability rights. Chapal Khasnabis, and was attended by more than 50 government officials and others.
Shatha Abu Srour and Bashar Naser, both with disabilities, gave testimonials about how their lives are affected by the lack of access to services and their expectations that government can lead in changing the situation in Palestine.
Minister of Social Affairs Majida Masri, whose ministry has been the shepherd for these efforts, made a brief presentation to the group explaining the National Strategic Framework for Disability.
Participants included high level representatives from the ministries of Social Affairs, Education, Higher Education, Health, Labor, Local Government, Justice and Transportation, along with members of the Higher Council for Disability, and representatives of the Civil Service Bureau, and the Independent Commission for Human Rights.
The Palestinian Disability Law was ratified in 1999, but practical implementation has stalled. National efforts to fully recognize disability rights have accelerated since 2011, with the activation of the Higher Council for Disability and the recent launching of the National Disability Strategy on mainstreaming disability.
In his presentation, WHO technical expert Khasnabis focused on the importance of recognizing human rights standards in government policies and procedures, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and pointed out the relevance of international legal standards to the work of specific ministries and sectors.
He suggested the steps needed for mainstreaming disability, including: legal review of policies and procedures, review of access to services and information, checklists that must be adhered to when the ministries are implementing new programs; and that the right-holders participate in program monitoring, evaluation, and auditing.
The prevalence rate of disability depends on whether using a narrow or wider definition, and ranges in Palestine from 2.7% (114,000 persons) to 7% (300,000 persons), according to a survey carried out by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics in 2011.
For more information, contact:
Ghada Harami Diakonia/NAD, mobile: 0545432099
Yousef Muhaisen, WHO, mobile: 0547179019
2nd Annual East Jerusalem Hospitals Conference "Striving for Excellence Under Crisis", 30 January 2013
30 January 2013 Jerusalem: The East Jerusalem Hospitals Network (EJHN) is holding its second annual conference on January 30, 31, 2013, in Jerusalem. The aim of the conference is to serve as a forum for Palestinian health care leaders to present and discuss key issues facing the hospitals in East Jerusalem. Areas of focus include quality improvement and patient safety, risk management, health workforce and clinical referrals.
The conference is organized by WHO and the EJHN as part of the EU-funded project "East Jerusalem Hospitals: Network for Quality". Participants include leaders from the local and international community, and staff from the East Jerusalem hospitals, as well as staff from the hospitals in the West Bank and Gaza. Dr. Tawfiq Nasser, chair of the EJHN, will open the conference. Hospital leaders will present on a variety of topics including patient safety interventions, the future of the Palestinian health workforce, and clinical quality in patient referrals.
Tony Laurance, WHO Head of Office, said: “The East Jerusalem Hospitals are facing unprecedented challenges. This conference is an opportunity for them to share their experiences and strengthen their collaboration.”
The EU Head of Operations, Sergio Piccolo, praised the work done by the East Jerusalem Hospitals so far and called for additional efforts to achieve the objectives of this program. Piccolo added that: " We have walked a long way along the path of our cooperation in the course of this year, and indeed, the title of the conference reflects the reality: We are striving for excellence in a situation of crisis. But still we are determined to overcome all the obstacles and reach our shared goal: stronger partnership for better services for the Palestinian people."
The EJHN was established in 1997 under the leadership and guidance of the late Feisal Husseini, with the aim of unifying the health facilities in East Jerusalem and emphasizing their critical role within the Palestinian health system. Their work has focused on developing its institutions, improving the quality of the services provided and assuring a continuum of care.
The EJHN includes six facilities: Princess Basma Rehabilitation Center, 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 centers for specialized 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. Through the latest phase of this programme the EU provided EUR2.4 million which allowed the hospitals to improve the quality of their health services, upgrade their status to the highest international standards (ISO certification and most recently, Joint Commission International[1] accreditation) and engage in joint initiatives and activities (e.g. risk management, legal representation).
Contacts:
WHO – Ms. Aisha Mansour, 02-540-0595
Related links
Urgent appeal: financial distress of East Jerusalem Hospitals, 13 December 2012
[1] The JCI is a US based organization that has established patient safety and quality service standards and goals for health service facilities
