Ministry of Health (Palestine)
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1948 (first form) 1994 (second form) |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Palestine |
| Agency executive |
|
| Website | site.moh.ps |
The Ministry of Health is a ministry in the Palestinian government that is responsible for formulating health policies of Palestine. The Ministry of Health is primarily responsible for the healthcare system in the West Bank, while maintaining some level of administration of and support for medical services in the Gaza Strip.
The foundation of the Palestinian Authority in 1994, upon the signing of the Oslo Accords, led to a shift in authority responsibilities of the healthcare system from the Israeli Administration to the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinian Ministry of Health was founded and since then, the ministry provides majority of health services to the population.
Currently, the ministry is one of Palestine's four key healthcare providers along with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, non-governmental organizations, and private sector, and in 2013 was operating 27 hospitals and 61% of hospital beds in Palestine. In 2023 it was reported by the Palestinian Central Bureau for Statistics that the number of primary health care centres increased from 706 centres in 2010 to reach 765 centres in 2021, of which the Ministry of Health bears the greatest burden; 64% of the primary centres are affiliated to the Ministry of Health, followed by NGOs by 25%, UNRWA by 9% and Military Medical Services by 2%.
From 2019 to 2024, Dr. Mai al-Kaila was the Minister of Health of Palestine. From 2024 until now, this responsibility has been entrusted to Maged Abu Ramadan.