PalMed Academy Launches GEM Initiative to Rebuild Medical Education in Gaza
In a groundbreaking move to address the disruption caused by the destruction of health and educational institutions in Gaza, PalMed Academy, an affiliate of PalMed Europe, has officially launched the Gaza Educate Medics (GEM) initiative.
PalMed Academy, the Palestinian doctors association in Europe, has been at the forefront of efforts to resume the education of 2500 medical students in Gaza. The initiative was unveiled during a preliminary public meeting on March 9, 2024, attended by distinguished academics, consultants, and medical professionals.
Chaired by Professor Mahmoud Loubani, the meeting featured a presentation by Dr. Lubna Saghir, Consultant in family medicine, introducing the concept of GEM. The initiative aims to establish a virtual medical college, leveraging the expertise of volunteering academics and consultants worldwide to educate Gaza’s medical students. This approach allows students to follow their own syllabus and graduate from their respective colleges, preserving the institutions’ accreditation.
Dr. Riyad Masharqa, Consultant plastic surgeon and Chair of PalMed Europe, outlined the ambitious goals of PalMed and the Academy in supporting this crucial project. The operational structure of GEM, as explained by Professor Loubani, includes various committees to facilitate the implementation of the initiative. Attendees were invited to enroll in committees aligning with their expertise.
The second half of the meeting saw lively discussions and comments from professionals across America, Europe, Palestine, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and the UK. Participants from the International Conference for Rebuilding Health Care in Gaza, including Professor Omar Lattuf and Professor Ruba Ali Fahmi, expressed unanimous support for the GEM initiative.
Delegates from Gaza’s medical colleges, as well as representatives from Aberdeen in Scotland, London, and Ireland, were in attendance. The GEM initiative received enthusiastic approval from all delegates, with Professor Lattuf and Professor Ruba Ali pledging their full support.
Forms for registering in GEM committees have been distributed to interested parties, and a brief outline of the initiative’s structure, along with a registration form, is available for those looking to contribute. The PalMed Academy encourages interested individuals to join before the first follow-up meeting in six weeks.
Dr. Bashier Oudeh, Secretary of PalMed Academy, stated, “We are confident there will be a great number of eminent volunteers coming forward as we extend our invitation to colleagues all over the world.”
For more information, please contact PalMed Academy through email at chair@palmedacademy.com
Members of the medical delegation from PalMedEurope andRAHMA WORLDWIDE in the Gaza Strip have returned after a two-week medical relief mission, dedicated to serving the wounded and sick there. This is part of the ongoing efforts of PalMedEurope to support the healthcare sector in the Gaza Strip and stand by their colleagues there.
The delegation consisted of the following specialties:
Facial and eye surgery
Resuscitation and intensive care
Vascular surgery
Chest surgery
Emergency medicine
Orthopaedic surgery
Operating theater nurses
With God’s grace, the delegation brought in quantities of medicines and medical supplies for surgeries, intensive care units, and anaesthesia. They were able to perform dozens of successful surgical operations for patients and the wounded.
PalMedEurope will continue to send specialised medical delegations to the Gaza Strip, and is already in the process of sending the third specialised medical delegation soon, God Willing. This is to fulfil our professional and humanitarian duty towards enhancing the resilience of the dedicated local medical teams in Gaza and to serve our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
All thanks and appreciation to the colleagues who participated in the delegation, as well as to the donors and supporters of PalMed’s activities.
In collaboration with Rahma Worldwide, PalMed’s second delegation of Palestinian doctors safely arrives in the Gaza Strip.
As part of the ongoing efforts by the Palestinian Doctors’ Association in Europe (PalMedEurope) to support the healthcare sector in Gaza and enhance solidarity with their colleagues there, and in association with Rahma Worldwide, a joint delegation of 21 medical professionals arrived today in Gaza. The team is fully equipped with necessary supplies and medications, covering various specialties, including:
· Maxillofacial surgery
· Anaesthesia and intensive care
· Vascular surgery
· Chest surgery
· Emergency medicine
· Operating room nurses
The Palestinian Doctors’ Association in Europe commits to sending specialised medical delegations to the Gaza Strip to provide professional and humanitarian support, reinforcing the resilience of local medical teams, despite the severe shortage of drugs and medical equipment, to cope with the increasing number of casualties due to the ongoing Israeli aggression.
We wish safety for the delegation and all medical personnel in the Gaza Strip, along with our hopes for the recovery of all patients and the injured.
The specialized delegation of the Palestinian Doctors Association returns from Gaza.
Thanks to God and with His help, the delegation of the Palestinian Doctors Association in Europe, safely returned on 2/5. The delegation entered the Gaza Strip on 23/1, in collaboration with the RAHMA Worldwide Foundation.
The team consisted of 22 doctors, including 12 doctors from the Palestinian Doctors Association in Europe with expertise in the following medical specialties: Professor in War Medicine, Emergency Medicine Specialist, Cardiovascular Surgeon, three specialists in Resuscitation and Intensive Care, Orthopedic Surgeon, Thoracic Surgeon, Pediatric Surgeon, Gynecological Surgeon, and an Intensive Care Nurse. The association equipped the delegation with various medical supplies and equipment, enabling them to perform all the surgical operations needed by the patients.
Several doctors conducted field visits to the medical Clinic affiliated with the association, assessing their needs and discussing ways to improve their workflow under these difficult conditions.
In this context, we affirm that the Palmed Europe will continue to send medical delegations to support our fellow doctors and healthcare workers in the Gaza and to treat the injuries of our afflicted people.
Palestinian Doctors Association, Successfully Delivers Urgent Medical Aid to Gaza.
In an effort to support the people in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Doctors Association, Sweden branch, has successfully sent and delivered critical medical supplies and first aid equipment to primary care clinics and health centers in displacement centers and camps.
The branch meticulously prepared ten packages, each containing over 30 essential medical items catering to patients with hypertension, diabetes, and burns.
In this commitment, the association vows to do everything possible to alleviate the challenges faced by our people in Gaza, standing together and providing crucial assistance during this difficult time.
Beneficiary Category: Residents of Rafah Governorate, currently estimated at approximately 1.5 million people
Health Situation in the Project Area:
Since the beginning of the Zionist aggression on the Gaza Strip 119 days ago, the enemy has pursued a policy of forced displacement of the population towards Gaza’s southern governorates through various means. This includes murdering the health personnel in the northern Gaza Strip and directly targeting hospitals and health centres. With the onset of the attack on Khan Yunis Governorate in the southern Gaza Strip about a month and a half ago, most of its residents have fled it, including those who fled from Gaza and the North, towards Rafah Governorate. This led to an increase in Rafah’s population to about 5 times its original number, making the health situation in the governorate catastrophic and complex, particularly given the lack of human, medical, and logistical resources.
The latest statistics indicate the presence of more than 50,000 pregnant women in shelter centres in the Gaza Strip, with a daily birth rate of about 180 cases. The vast majority of the pregnant women suffer from malnutrition and general health problems due to the harsh conditions they experience in the shelter centres, whether in shelter schools or tents. There is no health facility in Rafah Governorate that provides women and maternity medical services except for the Emirati Hospital, which cannot cover the large number of daily cases. Statistics also indicate the presence of more than 60,000 breastfeeding women in shelter centres at the moment who are in need of immediate life-saving preventive, therapeutic, and nutritional interventions.
The Kuwaiti Specialised Hospital is deemed the most important charitable hospital that provides health services to citizens, alongside the only government hospital in Rafah Governorate. The geographic presence of the Kuwaiti Hospital in the heart of Rafah Governorate has strengthened its role, therefore placing on it the burden of providing medical services and healthcare for most of the population and displaced people in the governorate. This prompted the hospital management to take several steps, adopt necessary plans to address this crisis, and attempt to address its future consequences. One of these steps is to provide women and maternity services in the hospital.
Project Idea:
This project aims to provide women and maternity services to citizens and displaced women in Rafah Governorate. The hospital has a designated space for such a section, but it requires rehabilitation, including internal doors, windows, lighting, sanitary tools, painting, curtains, and false ceilings.
Objectives:
Contribute to providing medical services to the residents of Rafah Governorate and those displaced to it at the appropriate time and place.
Contribute to providing healthcare services to women in general and pregnant women in particular.
Contribute to providing maternity services in suitable medical conditions.
Project Justifications:
The significant emergency increase in the population of Rafah Governorate due to waves of forced migration and displacement.
The presence of more than 50,000 pregnant women in shelter centres in the Gaza Strip, with over 180 childbirth cases daily.
Most women, especially pregnant ones, suffer from malnutrition and other health effects due to the difficult conditions they experience in shelter centres and displacement camps.
Project Outcomes:
Equipped delivery room with a capacity of 2 beds.
Two postnatal care rooms, each with a capacity of 4 beds.
Obstetrician’s room and midwives’ room
Two equipped bathrooms for bathing.
Positive Impacts of the Project:
Enhancement of public health among citizens and displaced women in Rafah Governorate.
Reduction of the spread of diseases, epidemics, and postpartum complications among women.
Preservation of women’s dignity by receiving them in places suitable for providing various medical services.
PalMed Europe and David Nott Foundation Doctors upskilling to help Gaza( HEST Course)
Doctors from around the world are upskilling to save the lives of those injured in the conflict in Gaza on a special course organised by PalMed Uk, led by David Nott Foundation team and hosted by the University of Bolton. The PalMed train doctors to go and work in Gaza for four days of training, led by the David Nott Foundation.
PalMed identified the doctors, whilst the foundation provided the training, which will prepare the doctors to head to the Gaza strip in Palestine to assist with saving the lives of thousands of injured civilians.
During the course, doctors from different countries and hospitals learn every field of trauma surgery including neuro, cardiovascular, abdominal, paediatric, obstetrics and gynaecology and anaesthesia, using cutting-edge teaching tools that were made by designers, in collaboration with the charity’s co-founder, renowned war surgeon Professor David Nott.
Doctors practice their techniques on Heston, a one-of-a-kind human war wound simulator, 3D-printed kidneys, silicone hearts, blood vessels, tracheas, and additional teaching models.
The training demonstrates how to deal with trauma caused in war zones, which can include anything from bomb blast and gunshot wounds to severe crush injuries caused by collapsing buildings.
One of the reasons behind the upskilling of doctors is that many are specialised doctors not equipped with dealing with the type of injuries patients may have in a war zone.
On Friday (February 2) 35 surgeons were being trained to offer their services to charities that are going into Gaza, and six anaesthetists.
More than 27,000 people have been killed and 66,000 wounded by Israel’s invasion in Gaza, the Palestinian health ministry said on Thursday.
Dr Riyadh Almasharqah: Plastic surgeon and CEO of PalMed Europe, has worked in various regional plastic surgery and burn units across the UK and abroad.
Dr Almasharqah’s says this course is vital and need more urgent than ever.
He said: “We are grateful to the people of Bolton, the University of Bolton, and the whole community who offered great support to this course. “This is the second course, with the first course being in December. and many people from the first course are already in Gaza and they provided a lot of help there. and they’re feedback about the information they got from this course has been great. So, this encouraged us to do the second course, and hopefully we will continue to do that in the future.
“It’s a really unique course. As a doctor, I have attended many courses before, but this is really structured and organised to cover all emergency aspects in every speciality’’.
“What we can see from what is happening in Gaza is that the magnitude of the need is so high. It’s beyond imagination, people are suffering a lot. The injured people are suffering, and so are the people who are displaced because they are living in shelters without food unfortunately, and no electricity, no water, and of course all of the health sector has collapsed, and kids are suffering from malnutrition, and even the elderly people’’.
“According to estimations, there are more than 40,000 women who are pregnant about to deliver and there are no proper facilities for any doctors to do any antenatal care. And for this purpose, we managed to expand a small hospital in north Rafah in Palestine. In addition to other work we did like sending the delegations and doing a mobile clinic for the displaced people.”
Chief operating officer of The David Nott Foundation Tim Law said:
“As a charity, we were about to go to Gaza in October when the news obviously broke on October 7, and the whole world has seen what’s happened since then. “But we are keen to continue to support the Palestinian people, as we are any person that is affected by conflict or other disasters.”
Tim From David Nott Foundation said: “We train medical professionals so that they can operate effectively in war zones and help patient outcomes – that is the job of our charity. “Now, if you think about most surgery, it can be very specific. So, you might train as a cardiovascular surgeon, and all you do is work on the heart and that system. But, when it comes to war you might find that you’re the only surgeon in the hospital, and there are people presenting with multiple wounds, blasts fragmentation, or all sorts of things like that, and our job is to basically help surgeons who are perhaps quite specialised, become generalists and are then able to deal with the challenges that these sort of environments present. We have some of our doctors who are on the faculty who have travelled to Gaza, who said that the people that don’t really have this grasp of the whole system of surgery are not as well able to meet the challenges that are presented to them, so in many ways, we are certain that this is the best training that you can get. And we feel that we’re backed up in that with the amount of demand there is for our courses.”
Tim added: “Many of our faculty are ex-military, so they’ve got experience of Iraq, Afghanistan, and places like that, so they know what it’s like to be in places where resources that you would have in an NHS hospital in the UK aren’t available to you.
In December, other facilities in Bolton were used by the foundation and PalMed to upskill 42 doctors, many of whom already in Gaza or planning to travel to Palestine to offer their help.
The foundation also delivered a surgical training course in Ramallah, Palestine, last July to empower doctors from across the region, and the team were due to train in Gaza in October before the war started.
Expansion Project of the Emergency and Ambulance Department at Kuwait Specialized Hospital
Gaza Strip – Rafah
Health Situation in Project Area:
Since the onset of the Zionist aggression on the Gaza Strip 100 days ago, the Zionist enemy has pursued a policy of forced displacement of the population towards the southern provinces of the Gaza Strip through various means, including the elimination of health facilities in the northern Gaza Strip and the direct targeting of hospitals and health centres. With the commencement of the attack on Khan Yunis and Central governorates in the south of the Strip over a month ago, most residents of the two governorates, as well as those displaced from Gaza and the north, have been forcefully displaced towards Rafah governorate. It has now become the largest population centre in the Gaza Strip due to its significant influx of displaced individuals. Statistics indicate that its population has reached approximately 1.3 million people, nearly four times its normal population. Consequently, the health situation in the governorate has become disastrous and complex, given the lack of human, medical, and logistical resources.
The Kuwaiti Specialised Hospital is deemed the most significant charitable hospital that provides healthcare services to citizens, alongside the only government hospital in Rafah governorate, due to the significant increase in the number of martyrs and casualties. Thus, there is an urgent need to increase the Hospital’s capacity to cope with the crisis resulting from the ongoing aggression as well as due to the congregation of most of the Strip’s citizens within its walls. Therefore, the proposal is to establish a field hospital attached to the Kuwaiti hospital to alleviate the immense pressure on its various departments.
Objectives:
Contribute towards providing medical services to the residents of Rafah governorate and those displaced to the area at the appropriate time and location.
Contribute towards addressing the significant pressure resulting from the increasing number of cases daily received by the hospital.
Contribute towards expanding the capacity of hospital departments experiencing high volume of cases.
Provide new equipped spaces to receive and handle medical cases using appropriate medical methods.
Project Justifications:
The urgent and significant increase in the population of Rafah governorate due to waves of forced displacement of residents.
The substantial increase in the number of cases received by the Hospital every day.
The urgent need to operate at maximum capacity around the clock, requiring the provision of new spaces equipped with all necessary resources, in addition to the existing spaces.
Project Components:
Medical tents (3), each tent accommodating (12) beds.
Project Outputs:
A field hospital attached to the Kuwaiti Specialised Hospital with a total area of approximately 180 square meters.
Increasing the Hospital’s bed capacity by (36) additional beds (3 tents * 12 beds per tent).
Positive Impact of the Project:
Enhancement of public health among citizens and displaced individuals.
Reduction of the spread of diseases and epidemics, especially given the severe congestion and crowding of citizens in the Rafah governorate.
Preserving the dignity of citizens by receiving them in places suitable for providing various medical services.
Hostile Environment Surgical and Anaesthetic Training (HEST)
Surgeons and anaesthetists rapidly trained to treat trauma injuries in Gaza
PalMed UK in collaboration with the David Nott Foundation run a remarkable four-day Hostile Environment Surgical Training (HEST) course, surgeons and anaesthetists from the UK, Germany, Sweden, Norway and Qatar gathered in Bolton to learn how to treat trauma injuries in the Gaza Strip.
Organised in two weeks in collaboration with Palmed UK, 42 doctors headed for the Middle East were trained to treat complex trauma injuries incurred in the Israel-Gaza conflict. This course not only marks a significant step towards preparing medical professionals for future missions in Palestine but also reflects a shared commitment to saving lives in conflict zones.
Riyadh Al Masharqa, Plastic surgeon and CO for PalMed Europe saied:
“Thank you to the David Nott Foundation. Without them, this training would not have been possible. Together, we are organising this course to assist the people in the Gaza Strip once it is safe and travel becomes feasible. The response from numerous doctors expressing their desire to help has been overwhelming, and we are hopeful to conduct a second course in the coming weeks.”
Addressing urgent medical needs in Gaza, the course was organised in response to the pressing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Palestine. According to on-the-ground partners, medical professionals are stretched to their limits and hospitals are overwhelmed.
The group included specialists in orthopaedic surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatric anaesthesia, and general surgery. Some brought valuable, first-hand experience from regions affected by conflict, like Afghanistan and Syria, while others joined to grow their understanding of how to treat war wounds before heading on mission.
Dr Iman Al Mabhooh, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist consultant.
“I’m excited about expanding my skill set beyond obstetrics and gynaecology to acquire new capabilities that will benefit mothers and their infants in Gaza and the West Bank. I recognize the desperate need for assistance in this region. This course is unique as it combines obstetrics and gynaecology with trauma care. This training aims to address complex challenges comprehensively and I look forward to it.”
Our surgical HEST and anaesthesia courses were held simultaneously, demonstrating our commitment to enhancing the skills of all those striving to preserve life in the operating theatre.
Dr Douglas Philpott, Anaesthetist
“What has been great about this course is meeting people that have experienced things in the field. From the anaesthetics point of view, it’s been helpful to learn how they deal with limited resources and supplies, and we have been using airway mannequins and practicing with video scopes.”
As war continues to rage, we are working on a second surgical training course with the goal of upskilling even more frontline medical professionals. We won’t stop empowering doctors with the knowledge needed to save lives and limbs against the odds.
We Palmed Europe and UK expressing gratitude to the David Nott Foundation for orchestrating this exceptional course. We eagerly anticipate the next installment.
Hostile Environment Surgical and Anaesthetic Training (HEST)
In collaboration between the Palestinian Doctors Association and the David Nott Foundation, we aim to train and qualify more than 100 doctors who wish to contribute to providing relief to our people affected by the ravages of war in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Hostile Environment Surgical and Anaesthetic Training (HEST)
Developed and led by David Nott, this course is designed to enhance the skills of surgeons and anesthetists, better preparing them for the daily challenges they face in war zones and disaster-stricken areas. It also aims to assist doctors traveling to such regions.
The course equips doctors with the necessary skills to make rapid, critical decisions while preserving medical resources. It covers a range of surgical procedures and addresses common emergencies during disasters and wars, characterized by equipment shortages and a high volume of medical cases requiring urgent interventions to save lives.
Given that working in crisis zones often rules out cadaveric teaching, the HEST course relies on practical exercises, including suturing prosthetic organs and blood vessels, as well as demonstrations on our specially designed full-body simulator. We also simulate mass casualty scenarios, training our surgeons in the decision-making skills needed to prioritize patients and save lives.
The course focuses on cases associated with wars and disasters, ranging from gunshot and explosive injuries to violent injuries resulting from building collapses and fires. It also covers post-disaster procedures, including skin flaps and grafts, as well as the management of orthopedic fractures using external fixation and amputation cases.
During the course, doctors learn how to make decisions and manage emergency cases related to obstetrics and childbirth, including postpartum hemorrhage and cesarean sections.
The course spans a full four days, during which doctors can expect to cover the following specialties:
Primary and secondary survey, Damage control, Ballistics. Cardiothoracic trauma. Vascular surgery, Head and neck trauma, Paediatric surgery, Abdominal trauma, Orthopaedic surgery, Plastic surgery, Trauma in obstetrics and gynaecology.
