Health professionals from across London assembled at the Strand on 26 April 2025 to learn more about the rebuilding of a dental care infrastructure in the wake of the state terrorism inflicted on the civilian population of Gaza. The event was organised by the charities PalMed and the Refugee Crisis Foundation (RCF), with Dr. Husam Zomlot, Palestine’s ambassador, delivering the keynote address, ‘How can the UK contribute to rebuilding higher education in Gaza?’.
The programme included two panel discussions: Sustaining Healthcare in Gaza: Training the Next Generation of Professionals; Global Partnerships and Advocacy for Rebuilding Higher Education in Gaza. Participants were affiliated with the University of Palestine, the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Kings College London. The Deans of the Dental School, University of Palestine and Al Azhar University connected on line.
Several British dental schools have committed to help Palestinian dental students complete their education and training. There are a total of 1,591 dental students in Gaza who have been left without access to essential clinical training required to complete their studies. Many of the students displaced outside of Gaza have secured clinical placements in Pakistan and South Africa.
Some statistics on the targeting of children and their education – the future of Gaza – presented in the course of the event: 15,000 children killed in 18 months; 40,000 children lost parents; Largest cohort of amputee children in the world; 90% of schools destroyed
For details of ‘Rebuilding Dental Education in Gaza’ click here.