Introduction to volunteer in Palestinian hospitals: Many students and people who develop advanced medicine skills, have a desire to help as many people as possible, wherever they can. They can even want to go abroad to experience helping people in new places, around the world and try to channel their help to where it’s needed most. Not only is this beneficial for the hospitals and communities they help, but it can also help the carer be they a nurse, a doctor or a first-aider develop their skills and build an adaptability to take with them in future work.
The crucial need for medical care in Palestine
Palestine is currently subject to the Occupation by Israel, which is a situation that leads to a lot of stress and pressure on the native Palestinian population. This can take the form particularly of psychological stress, and there is a shortage of quality mental care provision across Palestine in light of the Occupation. This also leads to a higher incidence of injuries, particularly compared to Western countries, whether it’s unhealthy lifestyles leading to earlier deaths or shock/trauma injuries relating to fatal incidents. Either way, there are plenty of pressing causes of the need for increased healthcare.
However, healthcare provision is not as good as it could be in Palestine. There are government funded hospitals as well hospitals and care stations provided by organisations like the Palestinian Red Crescent Society and the International Red Cross Committee.
The governmental healthcare is subject to politics and can therefore sometimes suffer funding cuts due to external factors. The international aid organisations provide handy complements to the government services but it is unrealistic to expect them to be the primary health care provider for seven million people.
An experience like no other
If you can find a programme that allows you to work in a Palestinian hospital, you will have a very mind opening experience. You will meet the locals and understand more about your profession in ways you could have never imagined. You will learn about the culture and the history as well as the ongoing problems with Israel. In short, it will be a very fulfilling and worthwhile experience.
Just be sure to do your research to ensure you are volunteering through a legitimate organisation, that prioritises your needs along with the services you will be providing.
How to prepare to volunteer in a Palestinian hospital
If you are a professional working in this area, you might want to read up on the sort of afflictions most common to Palestine. Absolutely you will want to take any relevant vaccines or medication before coming to this country.
Many people suffer particularly in their first week or two here during summer, so it is worth taking time to prepare yourself in that respect. Also remember to pack appropriate clothing – it gets very hot in Palestine in summer, but you must be respectful of local traditions and customs as well.
Volunteer nursing programme with the Excellence Center in Hebron
The Excellence Center is well known in the local community for channelling volunteers to places where they are needed most in the community. The Excellence Center is situated in the heart of Hebron (or Al Khalil) as the locals call it, the South of the West Bank – this city is on the frontline of Occupation. Much of the city and the surrounding countryside suffers depredations due to Israeli control of the electricity and water supplies – the H2 area is particularly afflicted as well by troubles between Israeli settlers and local Palestinians, so the hospitals in this city are under extreme pressure to provide the necessary healthcare.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society operates here to provide the healthcare and community services alongside the government funded services. The Excellence Center works in partnership with both (as well as the Ministry of Health in Ramallah) to provide volunteers to which particularly hospital or emergency response team needs it the most. The Excellence Center still runs the programme to maintain the flexibility of the volunteer’s schedule and provide other benefits to them such as accommodation and Arabic lessons.
Palestinian medical staff speak good English
If you don’t already have any Arabic – don’t worry, many of the Palestinian medical staff speak good English and much medical terminology has passed from English into Arabic anyway! Even then the local hospital staff will try to bring you up to speed on the most crucial Arabic, complemented by your dedicated Arabic tutor at the Excellence Center. The latter provides a liaison manager to oversee your work and your development and to decide where you should work.
The Excellence Center is highly reviewed online and highly thought of in its local community. We always recommend potential volunteers taking their time to thoroughly research both the programme, the organisation and the credentials before committing to anything. The Excellence Center is happy to provide all the support we can as know entering Israel and the visa process can be intimidating. Likewise getting to Hebron if you have never been here before can be difficult, but don’t worry – we are here to help. We want to make sure all volunteers have the best possible experience they can.
Eligibility for Volunteer in a Medicine & Healthcare program in Palestine
People who are between 18 – 75 years old are eligible to participate in the Volunteer in Medicine & Healthcare Program in Palestine. All nationalities and majors are welcome!
When Volunteer in a Medicine & Healthcare Program in Palestine takes place
The Excellence Center is looking for international Volunteers in Palestinian Hospitals year-round (Summer, Spring, Winter, and Autumn).
Volunteers decide when they would like to start and Excellence Center organizes so. We are very flexible when it comes to start dates and duration. Participants freely choose their volunteer period, from 1 – 12 weeks.
How to get further information and the application form
Please send us an email to Rafat@excellencenter.org, with Volunteer in a Medicine & Healthcare Program in Palestine as the subject line. We will then send you the application form. Please do not hesitate to contact us at the above email address if you require any further information.
Find us online
Whatsapp:+972599479880
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excellence.center/
For more information, please visit our website: https://excellencenter.org/
Excellence Center’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ExcellenceCenter
Excellence Center’s Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/RafatECHebron
