The Palestinian Physicians’ Association in Britain “PALMED” organized its second annual conference on Saturday the 22nd of February at Manchester Metropolitan University to discuss the challenges of the health status of Palestinians under occupation. The head of the conference Dr. Riyadh Masharqeh presented the audience with a presentation on the birth of the organization in Europe while Dr. Muhammad Al-Hams presented them with a presentation on the achievements of the Palestinian doctors gathering in Britain.
The conference was attended by Dr. Soe Ang Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital London whom founded ‘MAP UK’. Dr Ang is considered one of the most active doctors supporting the Palestinian people as she began her interest in the Palestinian cause after she witnessed the atrocities committed during the 1982 siege of Beirut. The late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat awarded her the Najmah Medal the highest Palestinian Medal in recognition of her distinguished human services. In her speech she reviewed the health of the Palestinians through their visits and contributions in providing medical aid to the Palestinians in the West Bank Gaza and the Diaspora camps. Then Dr. Nick Maynard Senior Consultant Gastroenterologist at Oxford University Hospital who works to develop clinical skills for medical students in Gaza spoke of his admiration for the outstanding scientific level of Palestinian medical students which is comparable to the level of his students in Oxford he said. He expressed his readiness to cooperate with the community to develop medical education and training at various levels.
The third session was devoted to talking about providing medical services in conflict areas presented by Dr. Ammar Darwish on behalf of the David Net Foundation specializing in training surgeons to deal with war injuries and praised during his talk the high professional level of ambulance and emergency crews at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. Then the conference participants were divided into working groups and specialized training workshops that included a workshop on leadership skills for doctors delivered by Dr. Khaled Nabatah a lecturer at the University of Birmingham. A workshop on surgical skills was moderated by Dr. Khalil Al Bayouk A consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Dr. Ammar Darwish a consultant in General Surgery A research and scientific publishing workshop was delivered by Dr. Iqbal a plastic surgery consultant in Liverpool and a workshop on the concepts of voluntary medical work presented by Dr. Naguib Rahman consultant emergency medicine from the World Doctors Foundation. On the sidelines of the conference a specialized brainstorming workshop was held on developing continuous medical education and training programs in Palestine moderated by Dr. Riyad Masharqah where he began to talk about the gathering approach to contribute to drawing a plan for training and continuing medical education aimed at unifying efforts and coordination between the agencies working in this field and the attendees discussed the best ways to implement that.
Doctors that contributed to the discussion:
Dr. Annan Ashtiyeh is a consultant and lecturer in Neurosurgery at St George’s University Hospital in London
Dr. Ezzedine Gouta is a consultant and head of the paediatrics department in Silvered
Dr. Mohammed Al-Hawari is a consultant and head of the chest surgery department at Nottingham Hospital
Dr. Bashir Odeh is a family medicine consultant in Karkoudi
Dr. Ayman Hassayda is a consultant and head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Sheffield Hospital
Dr. Firas Odeh is a Manchester Orthopaedic Consultant
Dr. Khalil Al Bayouk is an orthopaedic consultant at Coventry
Dr. Sadaf is a family medicine consultant in Manchester
Dr. Amer Zourob is a family medicine consultant at Coventry
Dr. Mohamed Al-Hams head of the assembly’s branch in Britain
In the closing session Dr. Abdel-Rahman Al-Bayouk on behalf of the group of young doctors who prepared the conference thanked the conference guests the participants and everyone who contributed to the success of the conference activities.
