1 April, 2009

Gaza Community Mental Health Programme Conducts

Donors’ Consortium Annual Meeting

Gaza Community Mental Health Program (GCMHP) held the donors' Consortium annual meeting which lasted for two consecutive days 30/31 March 2009. The meeting was held in Gaza with Video conference link to Jerusalem as some of the consortium's members were unable to reach Gaza because of the Israeli closure.

Having welcomed the attendants in Gaza and Jerusalem, Dr. Ahmad Abu Tawahina, Director General, gave a presentation about the 2008 annual report. Dr. Abu Tawahina highlighted situational assessment, problems encountered, lessons learnt and suggestions for the future. In addition, Dr. Ahmad explained what the program has achieved during the last two months after the war focusing on the psychological effects of the war on civilians, adults and children.

Ms. Naima El-Rawagh, WEP’s new director in Gaza, gave a presentation about WEP’s achievements and difficulties at the beginning of spinoff process, confirming that all staff are cooperative with each other at this stage. She explained the impact of war on women and the psychological suffering and violence among women and WEP work in the reduction and prevention of violence against women and the other gender issues in Gaza Strip. 

In turn, Dr. Eyad El Sarraj, GCMHP President, briefed about GCMHP efforts in terms of WEP’s spinoff. He explained that in September, 2008 GCMHP’s Board of Directors formed a committee to follow up the spinoff process, where it decided to form three separate NGOs. He added that by June, 2009 it was planned that the three centers to be registered, yet the war on Gaza hindered this. Dr. Sarraj emphasized that the WEP centers will be under the umbrella of GCMHP until the end of 2010 in terms of supervision and financial support, hoping that by July 2009, the 3 organizations will be registered.

Mr. Yousef Al Gazali, Finance Director, presented the financial report of 2008 stating all the details concerning revenues and expenditures and other financial problems which encounter GCMHP in the previous year. After this presentation, comments and questions regarding the financial statements were answered.

In the following day the Donor's Consortium team made a series of  field visits to the Ministry of Health , the Red Crescent Society in Gaza Strip, the main field office of UNRWA, WHO, and  the Medical Relief Society which is considered as one of the strategic partner for GCMHP.

The meetings focused on the joint psychological training programs which were organized by GCMHP and its impact on overall health and psychological services provided. The discussions has also included the future projects which the program intends to implement with the Ministry of Health and other concerned institutions.

By the end of the second day, a closing meeting was held where donors presented their remarks on what has been accomplished during the meetings and the discussion during these two days as well as what they agreed on and what the program has to do in the future to be a knowledge- based organization and a reference in the field of mental health in Palestine.

Gaza Community Mental Health program

Public Relation Department