Volume 24, Number 7: July 2023
A Palestinian Delegate's View of the World Health Assembly
By Hanan Saca-Hazboun
IAHPC Board Member
It was a privilege to be part of the IAHPC delegation at the World Health Assembly. I eagerly accepted Katherine Pettus's invitation, not only because it would be a new learning experience and an opportunity to meet my IAHPC board colleagues (who were helpful and from whom I learned a lot) but, as a Palestinian, such an activity is usually limited to members of the Ministry of Health.
Volume of nonstate advocates 'astounding'
Part of our task as delegates was to write and deliver statements on relevant agenda items to promote palliative care in all aspects of the health of people and communities, across the life course. The sheer number of nonstate actors (NSAs) attending, all working toward improving health care and supporting patients, astounded me. When I met with the Palestinian Minister of Health, Dr. Mai al-Kayla, I told her that my role as part of the IAHPC delegation would be to make oral statements on the floor to advocate for palliative care.
Some of these statements were “individual” and made entirely by IAHPC. Others were written in collaboration with other NSAs: at times, these “constituency statements” involved strategic guidance from our mentor, Katherine Pettus.
Meeting with a WHO project lead
Even though Katherine’s mentorship was from afar (often via WhatsApp), she nevertheless worked tirelessly to support us to be as productive and impactful as possible. For instance, she arranged a meeting with Dr. Kiusiang Tay-Teo, project lead and principal author of a new World Health Organization report, Left Behind in Pain: Extent and causes of global variations in access to morphine for medical use and actions to improve safe access. Together with his team, Dr. Kiu explained the project and invited each member of our delegation to share their experiences regarding patient care, and morphine access and use. Patients in Palestine do not receive adequate pain management, which is evident in the reported low level of opioid usage. I believe that the ineffective management of pain and symptoms is the direct cause of poor quality of life of our patients.
Palestine has ample evidence of PC deficiency
My contribution to the assembly did not end there. In my presentation at the IAHPC side event, Palliative Care, Health for All, Agenda 2030, I discussed the abundance of research evidence about the lack of palliative care in Palestine, which is also something we know from our patients. It is acknowledged by leaders and policymakers and now we need to take action. For example, there should be a working nursing body in Palestine to advocate for palliative care to improve quality of care.
I feel that teamwork is essential to improve patient’s lives, and I look forward to being involved in advocating for Palestine on the national and international level in palliative care.
Hanan Saca-Hazboun, RN, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences at Bethlehem University, an oncology and palliative care consultant, and president of the Al-Maha Cancer Society. Read her bio.