Report of the United Nations Development Programme 2004 (HDI 2002). Launched by the United Nations in 1990, the Human Development Index measures a country's achievements in three aspects of human development: longevity, knowledge, and a decent standard of living. It was created to re-emphasize that people and their lives should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country, not economic growth. Current values range from 0.956 ( Norway, 1/177 countries) to 0.273 ( Sierra Leone, 177/177 countries). Countries fall into one of three groups: countries1-55=high development; 56-141=medium development; 142-177=low development.
See: http://hdr.undp.org/statistics/data/indic/indic_8_1_1.html

IOELC interview: Dr Fouad Sabatin – 2 May 2005

Email communication: Dr Al Zakzuz, European Gaza Hospital – 21 July 2005

Information leaflet ‘Patient’s Friends Society Jerusalem’ PFS.

IOELC interview: Carol El Jabari, Director PFS – 10 March 2005

International Narcotics Control Board (2004) Narcotic Drugs: estimated world requirements for 2004. Statistics for 2002. New York: United Nations, 2004.

The Middle East Cancer Consortium (MECC) was established in 1996 with the aim of setting up population-based cancer registries for member countries in order to monitor cancer incidence, mortality and epidemiology, promote preventative health policy and encourage research and educational links.

Silbermann, M. (2001) Perspectives for cancer epidemiology research in the Middle EastGastrointestinal Oncology, 4(2-3), 181-181.

The member countries as of July 2005 are Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Palestinian Authority and Turkey. The Palestinian Authority joined MECC at its inception in May 1996. ( Freedman, L.S., Al-Kayed, S., Barchana, M., Boyiadzis, M., El-Najjar, K., Ibrahim, A.S., Salhab, A.R., Young, J.L., Roffers, S., Kahan, E., Qasem, M.B., Harford, J., Silbermann, M. Cancer Registration in the Middle East. Epidemiology 12:1, 131-133.)
See: http://mecc.cancer.gov/registry.html

This country report was commissioned by MECC through the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, following the MECC conference in Larnaca, 2 – 3 February 2004

Patient’s Friends Society health education publications – all listed below are available on request from PFS www.pfsjer.org/publications.htm :

Reports on studies conducted by PFS:

PFS (1999) Prevalence of breast disease among Palestinian women, 1994-1996 ;

PFS (2000) The demographic characteristics and self reported symptoms and behaviours of mid life Palestinian women (financed by the South African Representative Office, Ramallah).

Publications for healthcare professionals:

PFS (1999) National Guidelines for breast cancer screening

PFS (1999) Breast cancer screening – a practical guide for primary health care physicians

PFS (1999) Mammography techniques for X-ray technologists

Public health leaflets (in Arabic) (cancer related information leaflets are sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda):

Exercises after breast surgery; Iron Deficiency anaemia; Breast self-examination; Look after yourself; Food safety; Pain and breast lumps – more information; Adolescence; Midlife women; Osteoporosis; HIV/AIDS; You and your child; Your life after breast cancer; Me and my family – living with cancer

IOELC field visit with Carol El Jabari, Director PFS – 2 May 2005

El Jabari, C. (2005) Patient’s Friends Society Sunrise Group – Breaking the Silence, Bridges: Israeli-Palestinian Public Health Magazine 1(2), 26, February-March
See: http://www.healthinforum.net/files/Bridges/bridges02.pdf

IOELC field visit with Carol El Jabari, Director PFS – 2 May 2005

Patient’s Friends Society (PFS) JerusalemNewsletter January – June 2005 See: http://www.pfsjer.org/news/pfs_2005_june.doc

IOELC interview: Dr Fouad Sabatin – 2 May 2005

Dr Al Zakzuz in discussion MECC conference, Larnaca, Cyprus (February 2004)

IOELC Questionnaire: February 2004 – MECC conference, Larnaca, Cyprus.

IOELC interview: Dr Fouad Sabatin – 2 May 2005

IOELC interview: Carol El Jabari, Director PFS – 10 March 2005

Health Indicators in Palestine 2003: MOH-PHIC, Health Indicators, 2004 See: http://www.moh.gov.ps/index.asp

Health Indicators in Palestine 2003: MOH-PHIC, Health Indicators, 2004 See: http://www.moh.gov.ps/index.asp

See: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/eg.html

See: Physicians for Human Rights-Israel http://www.phr.org.il/phr/

The organisation explains on the website:

“Physicians for Human Rights-Israel was founded in 1988 with the goal of struggling for human rights, in particular the right to health, in Israel and the Occupied Territories. Human dignity, wellness of mind and body and the right to health are at the core of the world view of the organization and direct and instruct our activities and efforts on both the individual and general level. Our activities integrate advocacy and action toward changing harmful policies and direct action providing healthcare. Today Physicians for Human Rights-Israel has more than 1150 members, over half of whom are healthcare providers. Since the founding of Physicians for Human Rights-Israel we have expanded our activities and today focus on a wider range of topics centering on health in the broadest sense, while calling for social solidarity both within and outside of the borders of Israel.”

(Website accessed 8 October 2005).

IOELC interview: Dr Fouad Sabatin – 2 May 2005