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New public health magazine by Israeli and Palestinian health professionals addresses the health situation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
14 DECEMBER 2004 | GENEVA --
Israeli and Palestinian health professionals-supported by the World Health Organization (WHO)-have joined together to co-author Bridges - the Israeli-Palestinian Public Health Magazine - in order to help improve the health situation for people in West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Bridges, a bimonthly, is a unique publication written, edited, produced and managed jointly by Palestinian and Israeli academics and health professionals under the sponsorship of the WHO. The magazine exemplifies the WHO paradigm of "Health as a bridge for peace" - the integration of peace-building concerns, strategies and practices with health care - and represents an innovative approach to the planning and implementation of joint projects, sponsored by a professional and impartial body.
WHO has launched this innovative tool to bring together Palestinian and Israeli health professionals to address pressing health concerns faced by the people in the region. Bridges-the Israeli-Palestinian Public Health Magazine embodies the exchange of public health information of interest to both Israeli and Palestinian societies, and establishes links between the two communities.
The magazine covers public health topics of importance to both populations; seeks to analyze the impact of the conflict on the health and well being of both societies; provides a forum where locally significant research, programmes, activities and cooperative ventures can be published and made available; and disseminates international health policy and strategic information of particular importance to the local regional context, including WHO recommendations and guidelines.
The magazine will also focus on the areas in which WHO is most intensely involved in the region, such as emergency, health information, nutrition, mental health, food safety, and drugs.
Guiding principles include:
- A balance between the presentation of the negative impact of the conflict on both sides and the positive cooperative efforts that are taking place;
- A focus not only on scientific, health issues but also dialogue/peace, right to health, women's and children's rights, and social determinants of health;
- A particular relevance to the daily life on both sides;
- An emphasis on the human story, by personalizing the major challenges for public health on the Palestinian side and, on the other hand, highlighting cooperative ventures.
RELATED LINKS
First issue of Bridges, hosted on the HealthInForum Web site [pdf]
Note: The views expressed in the magazine do not reflect those of WHO or the Editorial Board, but are solely those of each article's author.
UN Consolidated Appeal for West Bank and Gaza Strip
More information on WHO programmes in West Bank and Gaza Strip: Promoting the exchange of public health information and advocating for increased attention to health issues is a central component of WHO's work in West Bank and Gaza Strip. Additional programmes are being implemented in the areas of nutrition surveillance; control of non-communicable diseases; reorganization of mental health services in order to cope with emergency mental health needs; emergency medical waste management; food safety; health partnerships; and emergency reintegration of psychosocially affected vulnerable groups.
Israel
For more information contact:
Dr Ambrogio Manenti
- Head of Office
WHO West Bank and Gaza
Telephone: + 972 254 00 595
Mobile phone: + 972 547 668 553
Fax: + 972 258 10 193
E-mail: ama@who-health.org
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