21-25 July, 2019 - A joint WHO/IARC mission to Palestine took place in July 2019 as the inception and first phase of a two-phase project to review available

cancer care services in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The review included a rapid situational analysis of the current burden and capacity of available oncology services, and initiated a more detailed oncology health workforce and technology assessment based on a recently developed WHO tool. In addition to meeting with the Ministry of Health, PNIPH, and other key stakeholders, the mission included field visits to oncology departments in seven hospitals across the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and two diagnostic facilities in Ramallah.

A report of the situational analysis results will be completed during the first half of 2020. A national policy forum will take place in collaboration with the WHO-EMRO and IARC expert teams to disseminate the report. The report will initiate the development of the National Cancer Strategy, which is planned to be completed in 2020.