He was born in Nablus in 1950 and completed his secondary education in Amman. He studied medicine at Athens National University, after which he practiced as a physician in the private sector. In 1998 he was appointed director of international projects in the ministry of health and in 1999 he was appointed director of the Project to Develop the Palestinian Health System, funded by the World Bank. He supervised the establishment of the national health emergency plan in 2000. In 2004 he was appointed director of health programs at the Palestine office of the World Health Organization. He was deputy head of higher studies in the Palestinian Medical Council.