London Hosts International Conference to Advance Medical Education and Healthcare in Palestine

On 24 April 2026, the UK branch of PalMed Europe hosted an international conference in London titled “Advancing Medical Education and Delivering Healthcare in Palestine.“

The conference brought together leading physicians, academics, and policymakers from around the world to address the urgent challenges facing Palestine’s healthcare system, with particular focus on Gaza.

Conference Highlights

Protecting Medical Education
Opening sessions emphasised the urgent need to safeguard medical education and uphold medical ethics in Gaza to ensure the training of future healthcare professionals.

A Humanitarian Emergency
In his keynote address, Ambassador Husam Zomlot highlighted the scale of the crisis, noting that more than 18,500 patients, including 4,000 children, are waiting for urgent medical treatment that the current healthcare system cannot adequately provide.

Voices from Gaza
Live contributions from the Deans of the Faculties of Medicine in Gaza, Dr. Anwar Al-Sheikh Khalil and Dr. Mohammed Zughbour, provided first-hand insight into the destruction of medical education infrastructure and the ongoing efforts to continue teaching despite immense challenges.

Building Sustainable International Partnerships

The conference focused not only on highlighting the crisis but also on developing long-term academic partnerships. Discussions led by Professor Omar Milad and Dr. Nadine Abu Shaaban stressed that investing in Palestinian medical education is essential for ensuring the future sustainability of healthcare in Palestine.

The conference organisers aim to transform these recommendations into practical educational, training, and healthcare support programmes that will contribute to rebuilding the health sector.