Primary Health Care Department Concludes a Chronic Disease Course in Gaza

 (Gaza, - 4/12/2016):  PRCS’ Primary Health Care Department (PHC) concluded a training course on enhancing positive life skills and attitudes amongst people coping with a chronic non-communicable health condition.

 Attended by more than 30 staff and volunteers, the course aimed at imparting the necessary skills to enable staff and volunteers to assist people with chronic illnesses in local communities. It focused on changing attitudes and enhancing knowledge to mitigate the impact of chronic disease and to reduce their burden.

The 3-day course featured practical sessions including training on the use of medical devices such as blood glucose and blood pressure monitoring devices, height and weight measuring devices as well as checking results against global health indicators.

Participants will, as of 2017, take part in community activities targeting sick persons and the elderly via the Society’s branches in Jabalia, Sheikh Ijleen and Al Maghazi. More areas will be targeted at a later stage.

Dr. Ramez Al Dosh, Department Director in the Gaza Strip, said the course focused on community health, community assessment tools, communication skills, planning for community health awareness programs, non-communicable diseases, self-assessment, assisted assessment and clinical assessment, risk behaviors and health action plans inter alia.

Dua’a Al Za’about (27), a course participant who volunteers with PRCS/Gaza, said: “I can now run a number of tests on patients with chronic conditions and assess their condition. This practical training complements the theoretical information we had received about working with these patients”. 

Imad Al Bahisi (31), who volunteers with PRCS/Deir el Balah, said: “The course was very important and our trainers were efficient and flexible. They taught us how to measure weight, blood sugar and blood pressure levels as well as many other procedures which will improve our work and allay the suffering of patients. I call on PRCS to offer more specialized courses in the future to help us as community health workers”.

End.