Al-Quds University, School of Public Health, Jerusalem, Palestine.
Health Policy & Management, School of Public Health, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine.
Public Health. 2024 Dec;237:232-237. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2024.10.013. Epub 2024 Oct 25.
Palestine continues to face emergencies and a series of humanitarian crises. This study aims to comprehend emergency planning and response including the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Comprehending and recording these experiences will facilitate on-going improvement of Palestine's Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP).
A qualitative exploratory study.
Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informant decision-makers representing various sectors of the Palestinian health system. The data collection period took place from April 2022-December 2022. A convenient purposive sample was chosen based on identifying important stakeholders in the West Bank's health sector. Every interview was transcribed. Major themes and subthemes were identified using content thematic analysis.
The study demonstrates Palestine's inadequate preparation for emergencies, instead there is a focus on response once a crisis has occurred. No national entity or mechanism is leading the collective preparedness efforts, which might ultimately result in a stronger emergency response. Instead, the efforts are dispersed across several entities, and decisions are not made cooperatively. As for resources, the study indicates that an emergency budget has not been allocated. The study showed a good degree of multi-sectoral collaboration with some reservations regarding the creation of various committees and their efficacy in handling crises.
The findings made it abundantly evident that significant efforts are needed to improve Palestine's level of preparedness and planning. One of the study's primary conclusions is that the health sector must shift from a reactionary to a preparedness-oriented mindset. Additionally, it is necessary to keep an eye on any changes in the nation's health and analysis must take place to strengthen the health system's response plans. Moreover, the activation of the emergency operation center in Palestine is one of the key advancements of the preparedness system.
巴勒斯坦持续面临紧急情况和一系列人道主义危机。本研究旨在了解应急规划和应对措施，包括最近的 COVID-19 大流行。了解和记录这些经验将有助于不断改善巴勒斯坦公共卫生应急准备（PHEP）。
定性探索性研究。
对代表巴勒斯坦卫生系统各部门的 15 名关键信息决策者进行了半结构式访谈。数据收集期为 2022 年 4 月至 2022 年 12 月。根据确定西岸卫生部门的重要利益相关者，选择了方便的目的性抽样。对每个访谈进行了转录。使用内容主题分析确定了主要主题和子主题。
研究表明，巴勒斯坦对紧急情况的准备不足，而是侧重于危机发生后的应对。没有国家实体或机制主导集体准备工作，这可能最终导致更强的应急响应。相反，这些努力分散在几个实体中，决策不是合作做出的。至于资源，研究表明没有分配应急预算。研究表明，多部门合作程度较好，但对创建各种委员会及其在处理危机方面的效力存在一些保留意见。
研究结果表明，需要做出重大努力来提高巴勒斯坦的准备水平和规划能力。研究的主要结论之一是，卫生部门必须从反应式思维转变为以准备为导向的思维。此外，有必要关注国家卫生状况的任何变化，并进行分析以加强卫生系统的应对计划。此外，巴勒斯坦应急行动中心的启用是准备系统的关键进步之一。
