COVID–19 and Gaza: The Ideal Time to Establish a Medical Reserves of Public Health Preventive Medicine Specialists

Abstract

This paper serves as a policy recommendation to develop a collaborative public–private interdisciplinary healthcare system known as the Gazan Medical Reserve Corps (Reserves) during the COVID–19 pandemic. Due to the high concentration of educated unemployed in Gaza, the Reserves would draw from recent medical school graduates and unemployed physicians. Although initial funds must be awarded by the government and international community to launch the Reserves, the proposed four evidence–based divisions of the Reserves are designed to make a self-sustaining and financially–sound entity. Our literature review demonstrates that the United Nations, various interest groups, and numerous researchers recommend the work of each of the proposed divisions as necessary aspects of a long–term health sector. The Reserves would work with humanitarian organizations, such as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and International Medical Corps (IMC), in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO). It is a goal to ultimately transition Gaza out of the need for short–term aid and assistance. The Reserves would also work alongside the local health entities and facilities already present inGaza, such as the medical schools, hospitals, and clinics.