Mai Al-Kaila ( ar, مي الكيلة; born 8 April 1955) is a Palestinian doctor, diplomat and politician, and the first woman to hold the position of Health Minister of Palestine. She holds a PhD in
public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...
and
health administration
Health administration, healthcare administration, healthcare management or hospital management is the field relating to leadership, management, and administration of public health systems, health care systems, hospitals, and hospital networks ...
. She chaired the Palestinian Medical Council in her capacity as Health Minister.
Background
Mai Salem Hanna al-Kaila was born in Jerusalem on 8 April 1955. She received her basic and preparatory education in the schools of
Birzeit
Birzeit ( ar, بيرزيت), also Bir Zeit, is a Palestinian Christian town north of Ramallah, in the central West Bank. Its population in the 2007 census was 4,529. Birzeit is the home to Birzeit University and to the Birzeit Brewery.
Location
...
, and her secondary education at the Private College in Ramallah. She studied nursing at the
Augusta Victoria Hospital
Augusta Victoria Compound is a church-hospital complex on the northern side of Mount of Olives in East Jerusalem and one of six hospitals in the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network. The compound was built in 1907–1914 by the Empress Augusta Vi ...
in Jerusalem. She studied medicine at the
University of Granada
The University of Granada ( es, Universidad de Granada, UGR) is a public university located in the city of Granada, Spain, and founded in 1531 by Emperor Charles V. With more than 60,000 students, it is the fourth largest university in Spain. Ap ...
in
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
and obtained a bachelor's degree from it, then she specialized in the field of obstetrics and
gynecology
Gynaecology or gynecology (see spelling differences) is the area of medicine that involves the treatment of women's diseases, especially those of the reproductive organs. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, forming the combined are ...
in the
University of California, San Francisco
The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is a public land-grant research university in San Francisco, California. It is part of the University of California system and is dedicated entirely to health science and life science. It con ...
in the
United States of America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
and obtained a
master's degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.
. She obtained her PhD in Public Health and Epidemiology from the University of Chile.
Career
Al-Kailah worked as a resident physician at the Palestine Red Crescent Hospital in Jerusalem in the Obstetrics and Gynecology program. Mai Al-Kailah has promoted jobs and positions, as she worked as a lecturer at
Al-Quds University
Al-Quds University ( ar, جامعة القدس) is a Palestinian university with campuses in Jerusalem, Abu Dis, al-Bireh, and Hebron.
Overview
The idea of establishing an institution of higher learning in the outskirts of Jerusalem was con ...
in the Public Health Department, and at
UNRWA
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is a UN agency that supports the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees. UNRWA's mandate encompasses Palestinians displaced by the 1948 ...
as head of the Motherhood and Childhood Program.
In 1994, Mai Al-Kailah was appointed to the Palestinian delegation to participate in the
World Conference on Women, 1995
The Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace was the name given for a conference convened by the United Nations during 4–15 September 1995 in Beijing, China.
At this conference, governments from around the ...
in
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
Fatah
Fatah ( ar, فتح '), formerly the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, is a Palestinian nationalist social democratic political party and the largest faction of the confederated multi-party Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and ...
, and became a member in it.
On 13 April 2019, al-Kaila took the constitutional oath before
Palestinian President
The president of the State of Palestine is the head of state of Palestine. Yasser Arafat became the first titular president of the State of Palestine in 1989, one year after proclamation of independence. The title was originally titular, in par ...
Mohammad Shtayyeh
Mohammad Ibrahim Shtayyeh ( ar, محمد اشتية) (born 17 January 1958) is a Palestinian politician, academic and economist who became prime minister of the Palestinian National Authority in March 2019. He is a member of Fatah who was elec ...
's government.
Honors
* In 2017, Mai al-Keila was awarded a gold medal by the Norman Academy in cooperation with the
Italian Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = (Ordinance March of the Air Force) by Alberto Di Miniello
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 28 March ...
; this is due to her activism and defense of Palestinian human rights.