Conflicts and acute emergencies severely limit access to medicines and health products in some countries and territories. The COVID-19 pandemic has created more barriers to access to medicines and health products globally. It has also led to shortages and price increases in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

The Access to Medicines and Health Technologies team supports countries to:

develop and put into action a strategy to enhance access to medicines and health products in emergencies;

improve preparedness for the entry of medicines, vaccines and other health products;

strengthen the capacity of national regulatory authorities (NRAs) to assess and monitor the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines, vaccines and health products amid emergencies; and

strengthen the capacity of NRAs to detect substandard and fake health products during emergencies.