A delegation from Al-Aqsa University Visited the WHO Office in Gaza

A delegation from Al-Aqsa University visited the representative office of the World Health Organization in Gaza. The university was represented by Dr. Nabil El-Aila, Dean of International Relations Affairs, Prof. Raafat Najm, Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Dr. Mansour El-Yazji, the Head of Laboratory Medical Sciences, and  Dr. Radwan Abu Rukba, Head of Nursing Department.

Dr. Nabil El-Aila commenced with an introduction to the University; its various faculties and activities, and the adoption of new faculties in the university such as Faculty of Medical Sciences and Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, in addition to the new Master's programs. Additionally, Dr. El Aila stressed the importance of strengthening ties of cooperation with the WHO and opening the prospects for scientific cooperation. Dr. El-Aila thanked Dr. Mahmoud Daher, the director of the representative office of WHO in Gaza for attending the scientific medical events organized at the university, especially regarding the importance of awareness about the misuse of antibiotics in the Gaza Strip. He pointed out that the research carried out in the Department of Laboratory Medical Sciences indicates a significant increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals in the Gaza Strip.

For his part, Dr. Raafat Najm thanked the representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) for his warm welcome, and stressed the need for strengthening of cooperation between the Faculty of Medical Sciences and the World Health Organization to raise awareness of health through cooperation in scientific seminars and conferences, promoting scientific research and utilizing it to study local and international problems, and exchange of knowledge through the publications of the World Health Organization and Al-Aqsa University, as well as trying to find the common points of partnership between Al-Aqsa University represented by the Faculty of Medical Sciences and the World Health Organization for mutual benefit.

 Dr. Mansour Al-Yazji spoke about the necessity of raising the level of health in the Gaza Strip, and organizing scientific events to discuss and disseminate health awareness in the Gaza Strip, as well as the importance of the University's involvement in the activities of the World Health Organization and the exchange of experiences and knowledge to spread awareness on health.

Dr. Radwan Abu Rukba spoke on the nursing in terms of education and nursing care, and the importance of holding seminars and scientific events and having cooperation and partnership with WHO. He pointed out that the Faculty of Medical Sciences will organize a scientific event entitled "Prospects of Nursing Profession in Palestine in 2019". The college is currently setting up a nursing basics lab for practical training for nursing students. The discussion also addressed the importance of community awareness of health issues, such as training health personnel on early detection of breast cancer, the importance of palliative care, and the right of the patient to get another opinion (human rights).

Dr. Mahmoud Daher thanked the delegation of Al-Aqsa University for their attendance and emphasized the importance of building relationships between academic institutions and the WHO, and interest in participating in scientific days that talk about bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

He also stressed the importance of scientific research and the idea of establishing the Palestinian National Institute for Public Health. He held a scientific conference on health at Birzeit University to support young researchers and indicated the importance of celebrating annual global health days such as World AIDS Day, World Tuberculosis Day and World Diabetes Day.

At the end of the meeting, Nabil El-Aila thanked Dr. Daher for the fruitful and invited him to visit Al-Aqsa University soon.