Primary healthcare reform in the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Palestinian refugees served by the United Nation Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) are experiencing increasing rates of diagnosis of non-communicable diseases. In response, in 2011 UNRWA initiated an Agency-wide programme of primary healthcare reform, informed by the Chronic Care Model framework. Health services were reorganized following a family-centred approach, with delivery by multidisciplinary family health teams supported by updated technical advice. An inclusive clinical information system, termed e-Health, was implemented to collect a wide range of health information, with a focus on continuity of treatment. UNRWA was able to bring about these wide-ranging changes within its existing resources, reallocating finances, reforming its payment mechanisms, and modernizing its drug-procurement policies. While specific components of UNRWA's primary healthcare reform are showing promising results, additional efforts are needed to empower patients further and to strengthen involvement of the community.
Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
A
A
Santoro
Institute of Community and Public Health, Birzeit University, Birzeit, West Bank.
N
N
Abu-Rmeileh
United Nation Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Headquarters, Amman, Jordan.
A
A
Khader
United Nation Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Headquarters, Amman, Jordan.
A
A
Seita
Faculty of Public Health and Policy, European Centre on Health of Societies in Transition, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
M
M
McKee
D018912:Arabs; D018166:Health Care Reform; D008877:Middle East; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012036:Refugees; D014480:United Nations