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The Palestinian health-care providers’ perceptions, challenges and human rights-related concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic

Fayez Azez Mahamid (An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine)
Guido Veronese (Department of Human Sciences and Education, University of Milan-Bicocca, Milan, Italy)
Dana Bdier (An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine)

International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare

ISSN: 2056-4902

Article publication date: 26 July 2021

Issue publication date: 11 August 2022

341

Abstract

Purpose

One of the most affected groups during the COVID-19 pandemic was health-care providers due to the direct and continuous exposure to the virus and a lack of sufficient medical equipment. Palestinian health-care providers were exposed to several challenges related to their work environment as they worked in war-like conditions; therefore, this study aims to explore health-care providers’ perceptions, perspectives, challenges and human rights-related concerns during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Palestine.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample comprised 30 health-care providers 26–35 years, who were purposively selected from among health-care providers in two Palestinian cities, Nablus and Tulkarm, located in the north of the West Bank. Thematic content analysis was applied to transcripts of interviews with the practitioners to identify key themes.

Findings

The thematic content analysis showed that the pandemic and quarantine negatively affect the mental health outcomes, daily routine and social relations of health-care providers. The main challenges related to human rights violations and faced by the health-care providers include a lack of sufficient infrastructure, lack of medical equipment’s and protective gear, military occupation and a shortage of health-care providers in general, especially those who practice in speciality fields such as neurology, oncology, pediatric surgery and clinical psychology.

Practical implications

Further investigations are recommended to test different variables related to health-care providers’ work during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper also recommends conducting studies targeting Palestinian health-care providers’ training and supervision services to improve their skills and resiliency in dealing with future crises.

Originality/value

The present work is the first to examine health-care providers’ perceptions, perspectives, challenges and human rights concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic in Palestine. This novel sample resides in a political and social environment characterized by high environmental stressors due to decades of military and political violence (e.g. militarization, poverty, lack of employment opportunities, cultural pressures, human rights violations, etc.)

Keywords

Citation

Mahamid, F.A., Veronese, G. and Bdier, D. (2022), "The Palestinian health-care providers’ perceptions, challenges and human rights-related concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic", International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, Vol. 15 No. 4, pp. 373-387. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHRH-04-2021-0083

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited

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