FACTORS MOTIVATING THE UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY (UNRWA) HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS TO WORK DURING THE CONFLICT IN GAZA IN 2014

Abstract

When a conflict occurs, health workers (HWs) can be subject to many challenges such as difficult emotional issues and working longer hours or working in other locations or functions. Despite these challenges, some HWs can be motivated to report to work. The participation of a motivated health workforce is essential for access to health care during the conflict. Understanding the factors that influence their motivation during conflict is still limited. This research investigates the factors that motivated the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) health staff to report to work during the last conflict in Gaza in 2014. There is a severe lack of literature on what motivates HWs during times of insecurity, but the literature on their motivation during times of other catastrophes exists. This literature identifies family concerns, governance and management practices, and knowledge, skills and training on the motivation of HWs as major factors. Others include: working resources availability, financial incentives, working experience, belief in duty, the perception of the value in response, community, and religion. This study involved secondary data analysis of 24 semi-structure of the UNRWA health staff who worked during the conflict in Gaza in 2014. This analysis suggested key motivational factors for these staff during the Gaza conflict were community solidarity, working experience, work commitments, and HWs’ beliefs. This study concluded that having intrinsic motivation can be solely sufficient to motivate the health staff to attend work during insecurity. This study also suggested that extensive periods living through conflict contributed to the factors that motivated the HWs. This research shed light on the topic of the motivation of health workers in conflict zones which is still in its infancy. Therefore, future research in this topic is essential to be conducted. Keywords: motivation; health workers (HWs); war; conflict; UNRWA; Gaza.