A vision to strengthen resources and capacity of the Palestinian health research system: a qualitative assessment

The World Health Organization has proposed a global strategy to build a robust Health Research System Resources and Infrastructural Capacity (HRSRIC). Despite the growing research productivity, HRSRIC in Palestine has rarely been investigated.; To analyse perceptions of health research system performers to understand the status of HRSRIC, identify its gaps, and propose policy solutions to strengthen HRSRIC.; This qualitative study targeted 3 health sectors: government, academia, and local and international organizations. Fifty-two in-depth interviews and 6 focus group discussions were conducted with key informants who were selected purposively. Data were analysed using MAXQDA 12.; Despite the availability of competent personnel, the overall HRSRIC, such as human and financial resources, and facilities, forms a central challenge. HR financing is limited, unsustainable, and flows from external and individual sources. The public and private funds are largely in shortage with resources misallocation and donors' conditionality. HR quality is moderate while knowledge transfer and translation are not well conceptualized and inappropriately performed. Lack of governance, coordination, HRSRIC strategy, resource allocation, systematic and reliable data, evidence-informed culture, and environmental impacts are the main common gaps.; The overall status of HRSRIC in Palestine is still lacking and major challenges persist where the pace of strengthening efforts is steady. There is an emphasis that strengthening HRSRIC is an imperative step and real investment opportunity for building a successful health research system. Political commitment, consolidated leadership structure, operational capacity building strengthening strategy, resources mobilization, and sovereignty are key requirements

Mapping stakeholders of the Palestinian Health Research System: a qualitative study

There is a growing international and regional interest in Health Research Systems (HRSs) in light of a global strategy for HRS stakeholders' (HRSSHs) active involvement. HRSSHs in Palestine have rarely been investigated with regard to uncertainties.; This study aimed to analyse perceptions of HRSSHs in order to understand their roles and involvement, identify gaps, and offer policy solutions for stakeholders' engagement in the Palestinian HRS.; This qualitative study targeted three local Palestinian health sectors, government, academia, and local and international agencies. Data were collected through 52 in-depth interviews (IDIs) and 6 focus group discussions (FGDs) and then analysed using MAXQDA 12 software. Participants and institutions were selected purposively based on a set of criteria and peer review.; The overall HRS stakeholders' roles were unsatisfactory, with low involvement from society, the private sector, local and international sectors. The role of academia and the Ministry of Health is vital but observed moderate in health research while that of international agencies is weak due to conflicting agendas and lack of a guiding body. Most universities have poor representation in public decision-making and scarcity in health research potential and capacity. Interest-power imbalance among stakeholders is reported where political, organizational, and technical shortfalls were indicative of weak roles and low involvement, along with a lack of health research culture, structure, resources, defined roles, and network.; Tackling the inadequate roles, interests' disparity, and poor involvement of HRSSHs is imperative for HRS strengthening. Redefining HRSSHs' roles and involving all stakeholders is key through strategic dialogue, consolidated leadership, and resource mobilization

The Palestinian health research system:who orchestrates the system, how and based on what? A qualitative assessment

Abstract Background In 2011, the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region committee launched a strategy for scaling up research in the region to address the countries’ health needs through formulating and analysing the National Health Research System (HRS). Stewardship comprises three functions, namely governance, policy and priorities, and is a central pillar of this system to ensure a well-organised and functioning HRS. This study aims to examine the perceptions of the HRS performers to understand these functions and to generate insights for system strengthening. Methods The study was carried out in Palestine, targetting three sectors in the health field, including relevant governmental health institutions, schools of public health, and major local and international health agencies. The data were collected through 52 in-depth interviews (IDIs) and 6 focus group discussions (FGDs) with policy-makers, academics, directors, and experts. Participants and institutions were selected purposively based on a set of criteria and peer review. Results A total of 104 experts participated in the IDIs (52 participants) and FGDs (52 participants in 6 FGDs), highlighting that stewardship functions remain problematic and insufficiently performed, mainly due to a missing health research structural and regulatory framework and dispersed health research work. Despite the limited good practices, the majority of the participants described the Ethical Review and Clearance as weak due to the lack of an agreed-upon national committee and procedural quality and ethics guidelines for non-compliance. A policy or strategy dedicated to health research is lacking. The exercises of research priority-setting appear to be evolving despite the lack of consensus and the low levels of knowledge and experience in research prioritisation. Common gaps, such as weak political will and capacity support, the absence of a national unified regulating body, and the indirect effects of political conditions on strengthening the HRS as well as other sectors, also emerged. Conclusions The stewardship functions of the Palestinian HRS remain weak along with substantial political, structural, and resources and capacity gaps. The study emphasises the imperative need to initiate strategic efforts led by the MOH and the Palestinian National Institute of Public Health alongside with other players to strengthen a national HRS through improving the stewardship functions. To achieve this, attention and support of decision-makers, involvement, mobilisation and strategic dialogue are indispensable, in order to embark on building a well-regulated and coordinated structure, operational research policy, and prioritisation of essential research

Health system's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in conflict settings: policy reflections from Palestine

As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, concerns are particularly serious in conflict and humanitarian settings. Tackling the pandemic in those countries is challenging due to the fragility of socioeconomic and health systems. Palestine is one of those countries that is facing compounding challenges, instability, fragility, living conditions, poverty, and mobility, all of which are caused by multifactorial etiology. The Pandemic shows triple tragedies; virus (COVID-19 Pandemic), ongoing Israeli occupation (Politics), and Intra-Palestinian divide (Policies). Yet, Palestine's response to the pandemic is outperforming many countries in the region. The early preventative lockdown measures in the West Bank found effective and not overwhelming the already over-stretched health system. While in the Gaza Strip, the response was slow. Prisoners, labours, besieged people, socioeconomic-disadvantaged classes, and refugees were put at additional high risk. Nonetheless, measures taken were unconsolidated in both regions largely due to the political factors. A little collaboration and inter-agency task forces in preparedness and response was observed, and the mechanisms and governance remain ambiguous. A consolidated and evidence-based nation-wide plan is required, whereby state and non-state actors have a clear and transparent exit strategy. A new thinking approach to promote the public health system and evidence-informed policies in Palestine is an urgent national priority

Additional file 1: of The Palestinian health research system: who orchestrates the system, how and based on what? A qualitative assessment

Table S1. Responses on health research (HR) governance challenges and improvement opportunities. Table S2. Responses on HR related to coordination and cooperation status, gaps and improvements. Table S3. Responses on the status of HR ethical review and clearance. Table S4. Responses on the status of HR policy, gaps and improvements. Table S5. Responses on the pattern of HR priorities, gaps and improvements. Table S6. Comparison between HR priorities defined in this study and those defined by Palestinian National Institute of Public Health in August 2017. (DOCX 76 kb

Proceedings of First Conference for Engineering Sciences and Technology: Vol. 2

This volume contains contributed articles of Track 4, Track 5 & Track 6, presented in the conference CEST-2018, organized by Faculty of Engineering Garaboulli, and Faculty of Engineering, Al-khoms, Elmergib University (Libya) on 25-27 September 2018. Track 4: Industrial, Structural Technologies and Science Material Track 5: Engineering Systems and Sustainable Development Track 6: Engineering Management Other articles of Track 1, 2 & 3 have been published in volume 1 of the proceedings at this lin