QRCS prepares for 9th batch of Emir Medical Scholarships [EN/AR] – occupied Palestinian territory

November 15th, 2020 ― Doha: Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) and Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) have signed the contracts of the 9th batch of Palestinian physicians covered by the Emiri Medical Scholarship Program for the academic year 2020-2021.

Ten physicians have received scholarships for 4-5 years of training at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), to be then certified by the Arab Board of Health Specializations (ABHS) in the following specialties:

Gaza physicians: orthopedics (specialty: spine surgery), internal medicine (specialty: geriatrics), obstetrics and gynecology (specialty: maternal medicine), and general surgery (specialty: hepatobiliary surgery).
West Bank physicians: internal medicine (specialties: infectious diseases – nephrology – MICU – rheumatology), cardiothoracic surgery, and anesthesia and intensive care (specialty: regional anesthesia).

Once all travel procedures are done, the grantees will come to Doha, sending the overall number of beneficiaries from this program since its inception in 2003 to 82 physicians, in addition to 26 physicians who studied for specialization in Jordan.

The signing ceremony was attended by Dr. Khaled Gouda, Director-General of PRCS, Dr. Haytham Al-Hassan, member of the program’s advisory committee in the West Bank, and Zeina Walid Hamoud, representative of QRCS in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

This program is part of QRCS’s strategy to build the capacity of Palestine’s specialist medical professionals in many fields, in light of the lack of well-trained medical workforce.

A main requirement of the scholarship is that each physician is obliged to return to work at a Palestinian health institution for at least double the duration of study under the program.

The physicians benefiting from the program said their ultimate goal was to achieve their academic ambitions, help to improve the resources of Palestinian hospitals, and serve their people by supporting medical services.

Regarding the positive outcomes of the program over the past years, Dr. Gouda explained that the physicians who returned from Qatar made a big difference in the health services provided under the Palestinian health sector.

According to him, this remarkable success is a good reason for continuing to implement this significant program, which is so important for the Palestinians. He valued the efforts by the State of Qatar, HMC, and QRCS to help the people of Palestine, advising the new physicians to represent their country well and be good examples for others.

Dr. Al-Hassan said all the three partners sought to sustain and expand the program, as well as to increase the number of beneficiaries in medical subspecialties, as a great contribution to the health sector of Palestine.

On the other hand, he added, the physicians given the scholarships, based on a standard selection process that met the requirements of HMC, are expected to study hard and be responsible to their profession, country, and health facilities.

Ms. Hamoud stated, “Having been launched in 2003, the Specialist Medical Scholarship Program is a major joint activity of QRCS, HMC, and PRCS. It helps many Palestinian young physicians and medical institutions to enhance their capacity and staff with a high caliber of specialists in a wide range of much-needed fields”.

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About Qatar Red Crescent (QRCS)

Established in 1978, Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) is a humanitarian volunteering organization that aims to assist and empower vulnerable individuals and communities without partiality or discrimination.

QRCS is a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which consists of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and 191 National Societies. QRCS is also a member of several GCC, Arab, and Islamic organizations, such as the Islamic Committee of International Crescent and the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization (ARCO). In this legally recognized capacity, QRCS has access to disaster and conflict zones, thus serving as an auxiliary to the State of Qatar in its humanitarian efforts — a role that distinguishes it from other local charities and NGOs.

QRCS operates both locally and internationally and has ongoing international relief and development projects in a number of countries throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Europe. QRCS’s humanitarian actions include providing support in disaster preparedness, disaster response, risk reduction, and disaster recovery. To mitigate the impact of disasters and improve the livelihoods of affected populations, QRCS provides medical services, healthcare, and social development to local communities. It is also active at the humanitarian advocacy front. With the help of a vast network of trained, committed staff and volunteers, QRCS aspires to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity.

QRCS works under the umbrella of the seven international humanitarian principles: Humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.