Palestine Healthcare 101
Structure of the Healthcare
The Ministry of Health (MoH) is the primary overseer of the healthcare system in Palestine. The ministry works in partnership with non-governmental sectors, public sectors, and private sectors to ensure access to efficient healthcare services. The healthcare space involves primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare services, for which the MoH is the main provider.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has been committed to Palestine refugees, providing for their healthcare needs, education, microfinance, emergency assistance, and relief and social services. The agency receives funding from UN member states and receives a budget allocated by the United Nations Council. The agency, through two independent departments, has supported refugee camps in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) offers emergency medical services (EMS), ambulatory services, preventive and curative healthcare services, and rehabilitation services to cater to the healthcare and welfare of the people of Palestine. The PRCS has emerged as the largest and most reliable provider of healthcare in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. PRCS also remains the main provider of secondary health care services to Palestinian refugees located in the diaspora in countries including Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the private sector both provide primary health centers; but more specifically they are main providers of secondary care, general hospital care, tertiary care, and specialty care. The MoH and UNRWA contract tertiary care services especially in instances of advanced diagnostics.
Financing Healthcare
Palestine has been putting efforts towards achieving comprehensive Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in order to provide the population with access to quality healthcare. The current healthcare system has been in place since 1974, and is an extension of the system imposed by Israeli occupying authorities on the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Despite these efforts, the population still continues to use out-of-pocket payments to finance healthcare expenses.
Generally, healthcare is financed by the government, specifically the Ministry of Health. The Governmental Health Insurance (GHI) remains the main insurance plan in the state. This plan covers in-patient and out-patient services at the public health facilities for public sector employees and their dependents. The plan also includes all copayments for medications and specialized services. Donors including UNRWA and NGOs also finance healthcare services for the refugees and those in need through the funds allocated by their organizations.
Investment Opportunities
Lucrative opportunities to invest in Palestine include:
Health Insurance
Secondary and Tertiary Healthcare Facilities
Pharmaceuticals
Start Ups & Technology
MobiStine
Mommy Helper
Webteb
Tawazon
Tabibfind
Inggez
Tebfact
Challenges
The ongoing conflict in the region has hindered access to healthcare to many Palestinians, as they depend on approved permits for movement (which are stringently offered) to seek advanced health services such as specialist services, comprehensive medical procedures, treatments, and therapy.
Many Palestinian children experience mental health issues such as anxiety and depression as a result of the conflict, which makes them live in fear and trauma.
Most of the population still has no access to a comprehensive universal health coverage, which creates disparities in access to medical services.
Solutions
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been partnering with other NGOs including CARE International and the Palestine Ministry of Health to build mobile clinics especially along the West Bank and Gaza. These partnerships work to ensure that the population can at least have access to primary healthcare services.
The WHO and organizations such as Italian Cooperation are expanding their healthcare services to include hospitals that will address mental healthcare, the facilitation of vaccines, newborn care, referral pathways, and travel permits for healthcare.
The Ministry of Health should build comprehensive universal health coverage to ensure the population can access healthcare services at no cost.