Partnership Expansion Activities in the West Bank and Gaza

By: Chris McKallagat, Country Lead, West Bank and Gaza

Chris McKallagat with Mariam Awad from Bethlehem University’s Faculty of Nursing and a member of the Partnership’s Advisory Planning Committee working to develop a breast cancer nursing training of trainers workshop in conjunction with the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS).

Recently, I traveled to the Palestinian territories to meet with key stakeholders, including the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Health (MOH), to initiate Partnership expansion activities. Recognizing the leading role of the MOH, the Partnership’s activities will strengthen and complement the Palestinian institutional response to breast cancer and help raise awareness among women and families. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the Palestinian territories and too many lives are lost unnecessarily. In fact, breast cancer kills more women in the Palestinian territories annually than the next three most frequently diagnosed cancers combined.

In response, the Partnership supports an approach to addressing breast cancer that works to improve institutional capacities, such as training for health care professionals and capacity-building of local organizations, while at the same time raising awareness at the community level through grassroots advocacy support and community mobilization and education.

American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA), will spearhead an initial set of activities on behalf of the Partnership to strengthen the ability of Palestinian public and private institutions to work collaboratively in the areas of breast cancer prevention and management. In order to truly make an impact on breast cancer in the Palestinian territories, it is clear that greater coordination and collaboration among various stakeholders is needed. With leadership from the MOH and support from the Partnership, Palestinian women and families will be equipped with greater resources to fight breast cancer. The U.S. has gained amazing ground over the past 25 years in decreasing breast cancer mortality by increasing awareness and improving early detection and screening. The Partnership is pleased to actively support Palestinian women in their fight back against breast cancer.

Check out the Partnership’s Baseline Assessment of Breast Cancer Awareness and Care: West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem