During summer 2025, medical students from Al-Azhar University in Gaza and Utrecht University in the Netherlands collaborated across borders through the course “Social Determinants, Health Systems, and Leadership in Global Health.” We learned about the right to health, the structures that shape it, and what it truly means to be healthy.
Through this collaboration, we realized that health is above all political. The systems we work in are not neutral, but colored by injustice and inequality. Discussions challenged us to think beyond hospital doors and to recognize that part of our duty as future doctors is to be an advocate for health as a fundamental human right.
We interviewed doctors in both Gaza and the Netherlands to answer the question: How can doctors meaningfully impact the health system? This work reminds us that leadership is about solidarity and courage – defiance can start with small acts.
“This virtual exchange with medical students from Gaza was very valuable,” said Janneke, a medical student from Utrecht University. “I learned that even from such different perspectives, living in peace or in a genocide, we as human beings can come together. It gave me another perspective on the health system in the Netherlands, how well most things are organized here.”
“Although cultural barriers may seem huge at the start, by asking questions, you can overcome any of them. Mostly I’m humbled by how well-spoken and motivated the students from Gaza are. It is really inspiring to hear from someone who wants to practice medicine for such strong reasons.”
Acts of defiance to improve health for all when health is under siege
Among the interviewed physicians were Dr. Ahmed Emad Al-Roubi, a urological surgeon and Head of the Urology Department at Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City, and Dr. Mejrem Ahmetaj, a general practitioner in the Netherlands.
Both doctors share a deep belief that medicine cannot be separated from humanity. Their dedication is driven by a passion for caring for all patients with compassion, and by a deep commitment to guiding the next generation of medical professionals. As Dr. Ahmetaj said: “Our oath tells us not to do harm. We need to care about each other. Do not normalize things that are abnormal.”
In Gaza, Dr. Ahmed Emad Al-Roubi designated locations and specialized teams for non-war-related care like kidney stones and urological tumors. He re-established the Urology Department in Gaza City and North Gaza after a year of service suspension, fully equipping it with specialists, consultants, volunteers, and trainees. He restored urological surgical devices for approximately 1 million residents, enabling life-saving and routine surgeries despite war conditions. His work ensured that patients with both tumor-related and emergency conditions receive timely care – refusing to let the right to health be taken away.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mejrem Ahmetaj channels activism through Doctors for Gaza. Her efforts range from speaking at protests to advocating for Teva Pharmaceuticals boycotts, the exclusion of the Israeli Medical Association from the World Medical Association, and pension fund disinvestment from companies complicit in occupation. She strives to motivate more doctors to speak out about Palestine, increase attendance at protests, and keep the public lens on the ongoing reality – because, as she reminded us, it is far too easy to look away.
Advice for aspiring medical activists
The doctors interviewed also shared lessons from their activism and offered advice for the future. Dr. Ahmetaj advised us to remember our oath: to care for all people, not just the privileged few. She emphasized the paramount importance of standing up for colleagues, taking care of people in the most dire need, and speaking out against injustice. Dr. Ahmetaj urged future doctors to know their rights to navigate the situation when caught in the repressive machinery of the police.
Dr. Al-Roubi’s most important advice was to never lose hope, as change is possible even in the darkest conditions. He emphasized focusing on sincerity in our work as a safeguard from desperation. He also said it is necessary to think inventively, preventing minds from falling into the routine of daily practice. Dr. Al-Roubi urged work collaboratively, explaining that “a united team can achieve monumental progress and positively impact patients and society.”
The discussion turned to why activism matters to medical students and what lessons we carry toward our future as medical activists. For Rana, a medical student from Gaza, this question matters because a good doctor understands that a strong health system is essential to support and complete their work. Since the system faces many challenges, doctors, as the cornerstone of the system, have a responsibility to speak up and take action.
Rana proposes that doctors should speak up for patients’ rights by contributing to policy implementation or by taking action personally when needed, and by educating people – within and outside the medical field – about the imperative to stop normalizing extreme challenges and start working toward solutions.
Janneke believes doctors witness the effects of health inequities firsthand and must understand how to drive change – whether through policy advocacy, community engagement, or systemic reforms – is crucial for improving healthcare. Activism and health leadership are unfortunately not yet part of medical curricula.
Deema, a medical student from Gaza, believes the health system cannot improve without doctors: their hard work is essential for positive, lasting impacts. Doctors play a central role, making meaningful contributions by identifying gaps in the system and proposing solutions through clinical practice or collaboration with policymakers, and by participating in research and innovation to develop new approaches that strengthen the system.
“Doctors are not just part of the system, they are key drivers of its development and resilience,” she says.
This article was written by Rana Humaid, Areej Seyam, Deema Alostaz, Hendrikus Roelofs, and Janneke Kieviet.
People’s Health Dispatch is a fortnightly bulletin published by the People’s Health Movement and Peoples Dispatch*. For more articles and to subscribe to People’s Health Dispatch, click* here.
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