Stakeholders' Perception of the Palestinian Health Workforce Accreditation and Regulation System: A Focus on Conceptualization, Influencing Factors and Barriers, and the Way Forward.

The Health Workforce Accreditation and Regulation (HWAR) is a key function of the health system and is the subject of increasing global attention. This study provides an assessment of the factors affecting the Palestinian HWAR system, identifies existing gaps and offers actionable improvement solutions. Data were collected during October and November 2019 in twenty-two semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with experts, academics, leaders, and policymakers purposely selected from government, academia, and non-governmental organizations. The overall perceptions towards HWAR were inconsistent. The absence of a consolidated HWAR system has led to a lack of communication between actors. Environmental factors also affect HWAR in Palestine. The study highlighted the consensus on addressing further development of HWAR and the subsequent advantages of this enhancement. The current HWAR practices were found to be based on personal initiatives rather than on a systematic evidence-based approach. The need to strengthen law enforcement was raised by numerous participants. Additional challenges were identified, including the lack of knowledge exchange and salary adjustments. HWAR in Palestine needs to be strengthened on the national, institutional, and individual levels through clear and standardized operating processes. All relevant stakeholders should work together through an integrated national accreditation and regulation system.

Health Technology Assessment in High, Middle, and Low-income Countries: New Systematic and Interdisciplinary Approach For Sound Informed-policy Making: Research Protocole.

Technological innovation has a significant role in improving health systems (HSs) and achieving universal health coverage (UHC). The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared resolutions on Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and other global organizations emphasized on HTA systems to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). HTA is a modern multidisciplinary decision-making framework linking knowledge and policymaking by assessing the medical, social, economic, organizational, and ethical effects, and/or impacts within health and social systems. The research significance lies in the growing need for HTA at these moments than ever as it is seen as an essential development approach to tackle the current global challenges and pandemics, particularly in developing countries. The research aims to comprehensively evaluate and understand HTA systems concerning the level of knowledge about HTA, current HTA structure, practices, application, capacity, gaps, and solutions. The project starts in January 2021 and ends in January 2022 and will be carried out in seven countries: Canada, Switzerland, Brazil, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, and Tanzania. A mixed-methods, quantitative and qualitative, along with a literature review will be applied. In each country, ten HTA-associated institutions will complete an adapted electronic survey, developed by the WHO, and ten key-informants selected purposively from the government, academia, NGOs, and private sectors to participate in ten individual in-depth interviews. One government representative from each country will participate in one expanded inter-country workshop. Excel, IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), and MAXQDA software programs will be used for data management and analysis. The research will form cutting-edge evidence not only for the seven countries, but also for the global, regional, and national endeavors with regards to opening a room for HTA best application and optimization. It will reveal lessons learned, determine gaps, and build a well-enabled and institutionalized HTA for better UHC, health systems, and multi-sectoral development.

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.