We, at EMPHNET, support public health in Palestine through a wide range of initiatives, including, but not limited to, strengthening health systems, building local capacities, and addressing urgent health needs. We work closely with key partners and remain committed to expanding our support through diverse, human-centered public health interventions, reinforced by strong partnerships and tailored context-specific approaches.

• RCCE Training: A series of Training of Trainers (ToTs) workshops on Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) were successfully conducted across the western, northern, and eastern governorates of the West Bank. These workshops were organized in collaboration with Juzoor for Health and Social Development, UNICEF, and the Palestinian Ministry of Health, reaching and building the capacity of over 60 health professionals.
  
  
  
• FETP - PHEP Program (One Health): We have been supporting the Palestinian Ministry of Health in establishing the Palestinian Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP)- Public Health Empowerment Program (PHEP) (One Health), which aims to build national capacity in disease surveillance and outbreak response with a focus on One Health. The first cohort is set to launch soon.
  
  
  
• Executive Master’s Program: With the support of Juzoor for Health and Social Development, six Palestinian professionals were fully sponsored to join IAPH’s Executive Professional Master's Program in Public Health Emergency Management.
  
  
  
• Diabetic Foot training: A two-day in-person training workshop was held in Amman to strengthen the capacity of Palestinian medical staff in the prevention and management of diabetic foot. A total of 13 medical staff members were trained during the workshop, which included both theoretical sessions and practical, hands-on training involving real patient examinations. Participants were trained in risk assessment, preventive approaches, and management techniques using tools such as monofilaments and foot dopplers. The training was conducted in collaboration with Juzoor for Health and Social Development and in coordination with the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
  

Gaza Support Plan  

EMPHNET developed the Gaza Support Plan to strengthen the health system in Gaza by delivering essential health services and promoting health awareness, in collaboration with key stakeholders.

This plan aims to support Gaza's health system in responding to current health threats and reforming its functions to meet the anticipated short and medium-term needs.

Deployment

EMPHNET has deployed an epidemiologist to UNRWA to support the emergency response in Gaza. Also, EMPHNET has recruited a technical officer in Gaza to supervise its work in Gaza and facilitate communication and coordination with various partners on the ground.

Advocate for Gaza

• We issued 20 biweekly bulletins to update on the situation in affected countries and reflect on the health situation there.

• Organized a series of webinars, with the participation of international and regional partners, to highlight the serious situation in Gaza and Sudan and recommend actionable priority interventions.

• Organizing a Forum “Public Health in Gaza: Priorities and Solutions” as part of the Eighth EMPHNET Regional Conference- September 15-18,2024

• Participated in The First International Conference to Rebuild the Health Sector in Gaza- Amman and in the Second International Conference "Justice for Gaza” in Beirut.

• Is member of the public health committee in Gaza Health Initiative GHI
  
  

Community Health Champion program (ChampNet):

We have established a Community Health Champion program (ChampNet) composed of around 400 trained community health workers operating across Gaza to deliver essential, community-based health services. The volunteers come from diverse health-related backgrounds, including medicine, nursing, nutrition, pharmacy, dentistry, and laboratory sciences. Their work has included the following:

• Community Outreach Activities: Since 2024, we have been implementing extensive outreach activities across Gaza, delivering a wide range of community-based awareness sessions on critical health topics and providing malnutrition services. From January to June 2025, 440 outreach activities reached around 26,000 individuals.

• Medical Points: In January 2025, we established a medical point in central Gaza City within the premises of the Ministry of Labor, under the supervision of Juzoor for Health and Social Development. From January to June 2025, the medical point provided care to 7,663 cases, delivering a wide range of essential services, including child and maternal health care, management of infectious and non-communicable diseases, as well as wound care, injections, and patient referrals.

• Polio Campaign Monitoring: In February 2025, we partnered with WHO and the Palestinian Ministry of Health to independently monitor the national polio campaign. Over 70 trained monitors assessed vaccine coverage, identified gaps, and supported improvements in campaign delivery across all five governorates in Gaza.

• Capacity-building activities: Ongoing capacity-building initiatives are regularly implemented to enhance the knowledge and skills of volunteers. On average, three to four training sessions are conducted each month, supported either by partner organizations or through peer-to-peer learning approaches. This dual strategy promotes both sustainability and practical knowledge transfer within the volunteer network, fostering long-term impact and local ownership. A recent example includes a First Aid training session conducted for volunteers in collaboration with the CADUS Emergency Response Team.

• Offering short courses and training programs for frontline workers through UNRWA

Memberships

We are members of the existing clusters in Gaza, including the Gaza Health Cluster, Nutrition Cluster, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, Reproductive and Sexual Health working group, Risk Communication and Community Engagement Working Group, and the Health Service Delivery working group.