Palestine Medical Council Law
Law Number (1) for the Year 2006
Palestine Medical Council Law
Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization Executive Committee
President of the Palestinian National Authority
Upon review of article (41) of the amended “Basic Law” for 2003, and in accordance
with the ratifications of the Palestinian Legislative Council in its session held on 16
January 2006, and in view of the mandate we possess – and for the service of the
public good – we have hence issued the following laws:
Chapter One
Article (1)
All words and expressions listed below will retain their indicated meaning(s) wherever
they appear in this law unless otherwise noted.
Ministry: Ministry of Health
Council: Palestine Medical Council
The Association: The Palestinian Medical Association / Palestinian Dental Association
Arab Council for Medical Specializations: The council emerging from the Council of
Arab Health Ministers for the regulation of medical specialization in Arab regions
Secretary General: The Secretary General of the Palestine Medical Council
Doctor: Medical Doctor or a Dentist
High Committee: Scientific High Committee for Medical Specialties
Article (2)
An independent scientific medical body will be established based on this law and
shall be named “The Palestine Medical Council”. This body will be a legal entity with
an independent financial policy, and has the right to enter into litigation as a plaintiff
or a defendant.
Article (3)
The main and permanent headquarters for the Council shall be in the city of Jerusalem;
the Council has the right to establish chapters in any city in Palestine.
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Chapter Two: Objectives and Function of the Council
Article (4)
The Council aims to raise the scientific and practical level of physicians working in
various medical fields in cooperation with educational institutions and other means,
including:
1. Setting recognized criteria for preparing physicians during their internship and medical
specialization years in and outside Palestine, and revising these criteria regularly.
2. To adopt the standards and medical criteria for continuing medical education and
the ratification of programs needed for this purpose.
3. Coordinating and cooperating with the Arab Council for Medical Specializations
and with other similar councils.
Article (5)
In order to accomplish its goals, the Council will need to perform the following tasks:
1. Lay down a comprehensive description of the required training for all medical
specialties, and adopt an appropriate system for this training program.
2. Setting standards and specifications for the accreditation of hospitals and health
centers qualified for training physicians.
3. Form high committees and specialized scientific committees – and any other
committees the Council deems necessary.
4. Oversee the organization of seminars held for orientation of specialization
physicians, in cooperation with scientific and academic institutions and various
medical entities.
5. Contribute to any program that offers ongoing educational opportunities to
physicians in order to develop their skills and update their medical knowledge.
6. Set the criteria for accrediting the clinical medicine specialty, and specify the
conditions required to take the examination to obtain the Council’s certification.
7. Endorse examination results after their ratification in the various specialized
scientific committees and the High Scientific Committee.
8. Issue specialization certificates to physicians who meet the set criteria and have
passed examinations held by the different specialized scientific committees.
9. Issue bulletins and publications that serve the objective and function of the Council.
10. Prepare the Council’s regulations bill, issue instructions, and oversee there
implementation.
11. Appoint the Secretary General of the Council.
12. Ratify the structure of the Council.
13. Ratify the Council’s annual budget.
14. Contract an accounting auditor (accountant) and a legal consultant.
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Article (6)
The Council will be composed of:
1. The Minister of Health – president
2. Deans of Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry – members
3. Head of Medical Association– member
4. Head of Dental Association – member
5. Director of Military Medical Services – member
6. Head of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society – member
7. Chairman of the High Committee – member
8. Four scientific experts distinguished in general medicine and three scientific
experts distinguished in dentistry – elected by the Council for a four-year term.
Article (7)
The Council will elect a vice president and a treasurer from among its members.
The special bylaws will delineate meeting procedures and the decision-making
process.
Chapter Three: The Committees
Article (8)
The High Committee will consist of:
1. A delegate for the Ministry, appointed by the Minister of Health – member
2. A delegate representing all schools of human medicine and dentistry
3. Three members representing general medicine and dentistry – selected by the
Council
4. Seven of the chairmen of the specialized scientific committees.
Article (9)
The appointment of a member of the High Committee is contingent upon his/her
occupying the position of assistant professor, or having no less than seven years
experience subsequent to receiving the highest diploma in his/her field.
Article (10)
The High Committee will elect its chairman and vice chairman from among its
members.
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Article (11)
The High Committee shall assume the following responsibilities:
1. Executing the Council’s decisions.
2. Recommending names of specialized scientific committee members to the Council
and overseeing the work of the committees.
3. Reviewing recommendations made by the specialized scientific committees and
submitting them to the Council.
4. Investigating mutual issues and coordinating between the various specialized
scientific committees.
5. Taking appropriate measures to maintain the required levels for examinations,
seminars and workshops.
6. Carrying out the tasks and responsibilities of any specialized scientific committee
not yet formed until such time as one is created.
7. Ratifying examination results based on the recommendations of the specialized
scientific committee and submitting them to the Council.
8. Preparing technical and administrative instructions for conducting the examinations,
and submitting recommendations of these issues to the Council for ratification.
9. The High Committee has the authority to employ specialized experts as it sees fit.
Article (12)
The Council has the power to form a specialized scientific committee for each medical
specialty, which would consist of seven members who will elect a chairman and a
vice chairman from its own members.
Article (13)
The term of membership in each specialized committee shall be four years.
The Council has the authority to replace any committee chairman or any of the
members upon the request of the High Committee.
Article (14)
Stipulations for membership in a specialized scientific committee: A member must
hold a position no lower than assistant professor or have experience of no less than
five years subsequent to receiving the highest certification in his/her specialty.
The specialized scientific committee has the authority to form sub-committees if
necessary.
Article (15)
Following the approval of the High Committee, the Specialized Scientific Committee
shall undertake the following responsibilities in its field of specialty:
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1. Instating an accredited program of scientific and practical education.
2. Executing exchange of medical expertise with Arab and foreign institutions.
3. Instating and overseeing the continuing medical education program.
4. Instating the specifications of the examinations, including the types of questions to
be written for the examinations.
5. Evaluating the various medical diplomas – clinical and scientific – and
documentation issued by other countries for the purpose of permitting the holders
of these diplomas to sit for the Council’s certification examination.
Article (16)
The Scientific Specialized Committee has the authority to employ distinguished
specialized experts from within or outside Palestine following the approval of the
High Committee.
Article (17)
The Scientific Specialized Committee shall be the expert body for reviewing and
assessing examination results in its field of specialization and submitting them to the
High Committee for approval.
Article (18)
Any member of the Council and committees listed in this law can be appointed
member in more than one committee providing they meet membership criteria.
Article (19)
The administrative body of the Council will consist of:
Secretary General.
An executive body appointed by a Council resolution and upon the recommendation
of the Secretary General.
The domain of this administrative body shall be defined by the Council’s bylaws.
Article (20)
The Council’s Secretary General shall be in charge of the proceedings of the
administrative and financial councils’ issues.
The Secretary General has the right to attend all Council and committee meetings, and
is in charge of keeping Council records.
Article (21)
The Council convenes by invitation of the President, but if the President is absent,
then by invitation of the Vice President, in accordance with instructions issued by the
Council for this purpose.
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Article (22)
The Council’s meeting and meetings of its committees will be lawful if there is a
quorum of no less than two thirds of the members; resolutions and decisions will be
made with a majority vote of those present. If the votes are tied, a swing vote goes to
the side for which the President had voted.
Chapter Four:
Financial resources of the Council consist of
Article (23)
1. The sum allocated for it from the general budget.
2. Unconditional grants, endowments and donations accepted by the Council.
3. Fees or dues paid for the examinations or in lieu of services rendered by the
Council, which is regulated by rules issued by the Palestinian Cabinet and with
the recommendations of the Council.
4. Revenue from publications issued by the Council.
Article (24)
To facilitate the accomplishment of its objectives, the Council will enjoy the same
exemptions and conveniences as do ministries and governmental departments.
Chapter Five
General Provisions
Article (25)
Every physician who applies to the Council for obtaining the title of “specialist” in the
country must qualify under the criteria set by the provisions of this law.
Article (26)
A physician is prohibited from declaring him/herself a specialist in any way unless and
until they receive the specialization certificate from the Council in accordance with
these provisions.
Exempted from the above rule are physicians accredited by the Council prior to the
enforcement of this law.
Article (27)
Any certificate issued by the Arab Council for Medical Specializations will be regarded
as one issued in accordance with this law.
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Article (28)
Based on the recommendations of the Council, the Palestinian Cabinet will issue the
appropriate policies for implementation of these provisions.
Article (29)
Any rule or regulation that contradicts these rules and provisions will be considered
null and void.
Article (30)
All specialized parties and those concerned are hereby obligated to implement the
provisions set by the Council’s regulations, and to act upon them thirty days after their
publication in official papers.
Issued in Ramallah on 20 / 01 / 2006
Signed and Sealed by
President Mahmoud Abbas
Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee
President of the Palestinian National Authority