Abdalrahman Ahmed, a student in Heller’s Master of Science in Global Health Policy and Management program, recently partnered on a perspective research paper published in The New England Journal of Medicine. In “Health Care Bridges — Pathways toward Trust in Gaza and Beyond,” Abdalrahman and co-authors Yasmeen Abu Fraiha, MD, MPA, Noam Alon, MPP, and Avner Halperin examine the power of collaboration in health care as a means to foster understanding and bridge divides.
The researchers detail findings that indicate citizens’ receptiveness to working with one another in programs related to health, and recommend strategies for rebuilding the health care system in Gaza both in the short- and long-term, including training health care workers, increasing access to high-quality health care, and providing oversight to these projects.
“Medical professionals continue to uphold their ethical duty to treat all patients with dignity, proving that collaboration in health care can persist where other forms of conversations fail,” says Abdalrahman. “This paper underscores the need for policymakers and the international community to invest in these joint health care initiatives.”
Abdalrahman is an alumnus of Our Generation Speaks (OGS), a fellowship program and incubator based at Heller that offers students tailor-made coursework, mentoring from public and private sector leaders, and the opportunity to receive seed funding for startups they develop and launch throughout the fellowship. After the completion of the fellowship, OGS Fellows have the necessary resources to maximize social and economic impact in their home communities.
As part of the 2022 cohort of OGS Fellows, Abdalrahman completed a three-month summer residency on-campus focused on business strategy, communications, and financial planning from Brandeis faculty. He says of his fellowship, "OGS provided me with the skills, network, and vision to drive meaningful change, ultimately inspiring me to return to the Heller School to pursue a master's in Global Health Policy and Management. The experience equipped me with the tools to bridge divides through health care, shaping my contribution to this research and my broader commitment to building trust through policy and practice."