WHO Country Office in Islamic Republic of Iran

First Sub-Regional Congress on Tobacco and Health from 28 to 30 January 2009 in Kish Island, Iran

WHO and its partners jointly convened the 1^st Sub-Regional Congress on Tobacco and Health for three days in Kish Island, Iran (Islamic Republic of). The Ministry of Health and Medical Education Iran, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, and WHO Collaborating Center on Tobacco Control in Tehran, as well as International NGO: Framework Convention Alliance (FCA) were partners in organizing this event.

The Congress aimed advancing tobacco control in the Region and implementation of the FCTC and sharing experience and successful tobacco control stories at the regional level. Main Topics of the three days congress were:

FCTC Implementation: Policies, Challenges and Way Forward
Epidemiology of Tobacco Use
Illicit Tobacco trade: Current Situation and Challenges
Pictorial health Warnings
Tobacco Free Public Places: Compliance and Enforcement

In the opening ceremony, Dr Ambrogio Manenti, the WHO representative in Iran addressed the Congress.

WHO Representative's message

Dr Afrooz is awarded by the Down Syndrome Research Prize Foundation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, October 2008

The Regional Committee decided to award the Down Syndrome Research Prize in the Eastern Mediterranean Region for 2008, which this year is in the field of Bio-Cognitive and Psycho-Social Characteristics of Children, to Dr Gholam Ali Afrooz.

Dr Afrooz is Professor and Dean of Faculty of Psychology and Education of Tehran University and has been studying on Down Syndrome for more than twenty five years.

Letter of award by the Regional Committee

Regional Workshop on Avian Influenza, 19-22 October 2008, Tehran-Iran

A Regional workshop on Avian Influenza took place between 19^th to 22^nd October in Iran focusing on strengthening the laboratory capacities. 39 participants from 16 countries have attended the workshop in order to exchange their experiences in laboratory diagnostic of the Avian Flu. Also a study tour to the Tehran Avian Influenza laboratory was organized in the last day of the workshop.

3rd Malaria Border Coordination Meeting, 20 October 2008, Shiraz-Islamic Republic of Iran

The Third Malaria Border Coordination Meeting among Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan held in Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran, on 20–22 October 2008 was to highlight the progress and challenges in the implementation of Malaria control and elimination in this region.

Malaria as a global subject: the slogan of the World Malaria Day is “Malaria a disease without border” for this year. Recent estimates by WHO indicates that about 247 million cases and 881 000 deaths occur annually. 91% of deaths occur in Africa, south of the Sahara and 85% are children under 5 years of age.

Mission from Regional Office to assist Nationals on Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Strategic Plan 26 Aug – 2 Sept 2008

Tackling Social Determinants of Health (SDH) and reducing health inequities is on the government’s policy agenda of I.R.Iran and Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOH&ME) has taken the leadership role in advancing this agenda. In this regards an SDH unit has been established in the MOH&ME and a three year strategic plan for addressing the SDH has been drafted.

In addition, Iran has been identified as a partner country by the WHO Global Commission on Social Determinants of Health and to function as model for other countries of Eastern Mediterranean and other WHO Regions in following a holistic and comprehensive approach to health .