My Dear Palestine
Written by Saad Mohssine
This post is part of a series in diverse mediums focusing on the theme “How do we envision equity in global health?”. These submissions are by McGill students who were part of the course, Fundamentals of Global Health, in Fall 2023.
My Dear Palestine
In a place where sadness fills the air,
Gaza's struggle, a burden hard to bear.
Bombs fall on hospitals, a painful sight,
Let's talk about fairness, and bring it to light.
Hospitals crumble, where healing should be,
But hope survives in a resilient plea.
Let's build a world where fairness is strong,
Where everyone has a chance to belong.
No more bombs, no more tears to shed,
Let's help each other, lift the hurting head.
In every country, let's share what we know,
So everyone's health can steadily grow.
Fairness is like a light in the dark,
Helping all people, leaving a mark.
Let's break down walls, build bridges wide,
So health and happiness can be on every side.
In every land, let kindness be the key,
A world where everyone is strong and free.
No more hurting, no more pain,
Let's build a world where love will reign.
Project Description
The challenge we face in Gaza reflects a profound global issue, where health disparities and the impact of conflict weigh heavily on vulnerable communities. Palestinian civilians are getting killed even though they are innocent and hospitals, essential for healing, face destruction, exacerbating an already important situation. Contributing to addressing this challenge requires a global equity perspective, and a commitment to sharing resources, knowledge, and support across borders. When we talk about equity, we want to look at fairness and, in this situation, there is a serious lack of fairness towards the innocent Palestinian victims. By fostering collaboration and empathy, and dismantling barriers to healthcare, we can strive to ensure that every individual, regardless of their location, has equal access to the fundamental right of good health. Civilians and hospitals should not be a target during armed conflicts. We saw in class how important healthcare is, and how it should be a priority for each country. Now imagine when your hospitals get destroyed and you need to build your healthcare from scratch every few years. How is this going to impact the Palestinian generations? How are they going to cope with this? How is this going to affect their mental health? This could result in intergenerational trauma and potentially give rise to a variety of different chronic diseases, mirroring the experiences of Indigenous people in history, as seen in class. This approach is not only crucial to the well-being of those directly affected but also paves the way for a more just and compassionate world. By standing together and addressing the root causes of global health disparities, we make sure that the future generation will have the right to good health.