Evidence-based health care in the occupied Palestinian territory: findings from a conference-based preparatory workshop

Abstract

Background The principles of evidence-based health-care (EBHC) are not widely appreciated in the occupied Palestinian territory. During the past 5 years, interest in EBHC in Gaza has been generated through a series of lectures and workshops run by the EBHC Unit in Gaza. To further promulgate the principles of EBHC in the occupied Palestinian territory and to raise awareness of differences between local practice and best evidence, a 2 day conference was organised in October 2013. In this study our objectives were to promote the principles of EBHC and to improve clinical practice in 15 specific areas of clinical practice. Methods Five subcommittees were established 6 months before the conference that addressed general surgery, medicine, paediatrics, obstetrics, and orthopaedics and neurosurgery. Each subcommittee comprised a senior and a junior specialist and was given 5 months to identify the three most …