Dr. Fawzi Al-Hammouri, Chairman of the Private Hospitals Association and CEO of the Gaza Health Initiative, moderated the opening session of the 8th Quality of Health Care Conference and Exhibition of the Health Care Accreditation Council, titled “ Upholding Quality in Crisis: Healthcare Resilience in Conflict Zones”
He emphasized the importance of this discussion at a time when several regional conflicts have severely affected the quality of healthcare services in affected areas. Al-Hammouri highlighted that protecting the health sector in conflict zones is a fundamental obligation under international law. The Geneva Conventions explicitly mandate the respect and protection of health services and healthcare workers, while UN Security Council Resolution 2286 (2016), issued under Chapter VII, reinforces this obligation by urging all parties to ensure the safety of health facilities and medical staff. Despite these clear legal frameworks, Al-Hammouri explained that the situation in Gaza over the past two years shows an unprecedented level of targeting of healthcare workers by the occupying forces, in violation of international treaties. More than 1,700 healthcare workers have been killed and over 360 have been detained. In addition, Gaza’s health sector has suffered 825 attacks, resulting in 25 hospitals going out of service out of 38, leaving most medical facilities unable to provide necessary care. He also noted that the occupying forces continue to block the entry of essential medications, supplies, and medical equipment into the Strip. The session featured several experts. Dr. Mahmoud Al-Loubani, President of Balmid Academy in the United Kingdom, presented the Virtual Medical University launched in cooperation with Al-Azhar University and the Islamic University in Gaza to deliver remote medical and health sciences education. The program currently supports 2,100 medical students, with more than 150 graduates to date. Dr. Yanal Ajlouni, President of the Jordanian Association of Paramedics, discussed the experience of volunteer medical teams deployed to Gaza and the challenges they encountered, stressing the importance of preparedness and resilience in facing exceptional circumstances that any country or region may experience. Dr. Nasser Yassin, Policy Advisor and former Minister of Environment in Lebanon, presented how Lebanon’s health sector managed the sudden influx of more than one million displaced people from southern Lebanon during the Israeli aggression. Dr. Mahmoud Maqadadi, Public Health Officer at the International Organization for Migration in Jordan and Syria, highlighted how more than 14 years of continuous conflict have reshaped the priorities of the Syrian health sector and negatively impacted service quality. Finally, Dr. Alia Khalifat from the Royal Medical Services outlined Jordan s long-standing experience in extending medical support to various conflict areas around the world particularly in Palestine through the deployment of fully equipped field hospitals operated by Jordanian medical teams in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
