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16 March 2024

Unprecedented number of Syrians in need of aid after 13 years of war

16 MARCH 2024, CAIRO, EGYPT – Thirteen years of conflict have left 16.7 million people requiring humanitarian aid and 15 million people - 65% of the population – in need of health assistance in Syria. This is the largest number of people in need of humanitarian aid since the conflict began in 2011. “There are currently more Syrians in need of...

15 March 2024

Regional Director statement on Sudan

15 March 2024 -- I have just returned from Sudan, my first mission to an emergency country in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region since I took office 5 weeks ago. I saw first-hand the devastation that decades of fragility, and nearly a year of brutal war, have wreaked on the country. “We lost many things this year that we will never...

11 March 2024

Sudan to respond to new emergence of variant poliovirus in Red Sea State

11 March 2024, Port Sudan, Sudan – Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) will launch a polio vaccination campaign in April 2024 in response to a new emergence of variant poliovirus type 2 reported in January 2024. It was detected in six wastewater samples collected from September 2023 to January 2024 in the Port Sudan locality, Red Sea State. The FMOH,...

11 March 2024

Childhood cancer control: pushing for progress in WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region

11 March 2024 – Globally, more than 400 000 children and adolescents aged 0–19 years are diagnosed with cancer every year. Latest Global Cancer Observatory estimates for the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region show that there were about 36 000 new cases of paediatric cancers and 16 500 deaths in 2022. Experts from every country and territory of the Region, international partners,...

11 March 2024

WHO and Japan sign US$ 8 million agreement to support patients from Gaza Strip in Egypt

11 March 2024, Cairo, Egypt – A US$ 8 million grant agreement signed yesterday by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Japan will provide essential support for critically ill patients evacuated from the Gaza Strip to Egypt for medical treatment. The agreement was signed by His Excellency Mr OKA Hiroshi, Ambassador of Japan to Egypt, and Dr Nima Abid, WHO...

07 March 2024

Message by Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean on International Women’s Day, 8 March 2024

Women’s Health and Gender Equality: Essential Elements for a Better Future Every year on the 8th of March, we mark International Women’s Day, and the entire month of March is dedicated to recognizing women’s achievements and advances despite numerous challenges. This year’s theme is “Invest in women: Accelerate progress”, a call which is crucial that we embrace during these times of uncertainty. In...

07 March 2024

8 March 2024 – A call to invest in women’s and girls’ health, well-being, and empowerment in all areas of life goes out today, on International Women’s Day 2024. The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean joins the world in marking the global day, this year themed “Invest in women: Accelerate progress”. This call is crucial in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean...

06 March 2024

Health financing reforms needed to advance universal health coverage

5 March 2024, Rabat, Morocco ­– In a world facing numerous challenges, achieving universal health coverage remains crucial. More than half of the global population­ ­– some 4.5 billion people ­– lack full access to essential health care. In addition, over 2 billion people experience financial hardship in accessing basic health care. Social inequities and barriers in access to health care most affect the poorest,...

04 March 2024

World Obesity Day 2024: Fasting and obesity prevention

4 March 2024, Cairo, Egypt – Today, World Obesity Day 2024, is a chance to highlight the need to talk about obesity and youth. Obesity is a major health issue in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. More than half of women (53%), nearly half of men (45%) and an alarming 8% of school-aged children and adolescents are obese, while 20.5%...

03 March 2024

World Hearing Day 2024: a global call to change mindsets

As we approach World Hearing Day on 3 March 2024, the global community is gearing up to embrace its theme of “Changing mindsets: Let’s make ear and hearing care a reality for all!” Communities across the world will observe the global day, which promotes awareness of hearing loss and advocates for ear care. This year’s theme invites us to rethink...

22 February 2024

22 February 2024 Dear colleagues, ladies, and gentlemen, Good afternoon from WHO's Regional Office in Cairo, Egypt. I am honored to address you today as the newly appointed Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. As I begin my tenure, I'm deeply aware of the profound challenges our Region is facing. In Gaza, an entire population continues to face unimaginable violence and loss with nowhere...

21 February 2024

WHO and Dubai’s International Humanitarian City to send life-saving health supplies to Gaza Strip

21 February, Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Amid a worsening health emergency, the World Health Organization (WHO) logistics hub in Dubai, in partnership with Dubai’s International Humanitarian City, will be delivering critical health supplies worth over US$ 1.7 million to the Gaza Strip. In total, 80 metric tonnes of life-saving medicines, including insulin, are being delivered through a temporary air bridge between...

20 February 2024

WHO transfers critical patients out of Nasser Medical Complex, fears for safety of remaining patients

20 February 2024 – WHO led two life-saving missions to transfer 32 critical patients, including two children, from Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza on 18 and 19 February, amid ongoing hostilities and access restrictions. The high-risk missions were conducted in close partnership with the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian...

14 February 2024

International Childhood Cancer Day 2024: reducing the survival gap

15 February 2024  – On International Childhood Cancer Day 2024, we highlight the vital role of parents, as well as family doctors and paediatricians, in the early detection of childhood cancers. No one is more ready to invest in their children’s well-being than parents. By getting to know the early signs and symptoms of certain cancers and looking out for them,...

06 February 2024

WHO, KSrelief sign new agreement to support over one million people in Gaza

6 February 2024, Cairo, Egypt – A US$ 10 million agreement signed today by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) will provide more than one million people in Gaza with access to emergency life-saving health services. “The collaboration between WHO and KSrelief signifies a strategic, coordinated response to addressing urgent health needs...

05 February 2024

Protecting children from tobacco industry interference Application form On 31 May 2024, WHO will celebrate World No Tobacco Day. The tobacco problem is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing about 8.3 million people a year globally. More than 7 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use, while about 1.3 million deaths result from non-smokers being...

01 February 2024

World Cancer Day 2024

Cancer is a major contributor to global mortality, causing about 1 in every 6 deaths and affecting nearly every household (1). Globally, there were an estimated 20 million new cases of cancer and 9.7 million deaths from cancer in 2022. The cancer burden will increase by about 77% by 2050, further straining health systems, people and communities (2). In the WHO...

30 January 2024

WHO advocates for solidarity to paint a healthier and safer future

29 January 2024, Cairo, Egypt – To mark the World Health Organization’s 75th anniversary, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean hosted a networking and partner and staff appreciation event last night, at the Grand Egyptian Museum, Cairo, under the theme “Painting a healthier and safer future together”. The aim was to renew commitment to our shared regional goal of...

24 January 2024

18 January 2024 – Cairo, Egypt – The Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean successfully organized a landmark event as part of the Presidential Initiative on Women’s Health. Held on 18 January 2024 at the Hilton Heliopolis Hotel in Cairo, this roundtable event coincided with the 16th Annual Breast,...

23 January 2024

WHO and partners bring fuel to Al-Shifa, as remaining hospitals in Gaza face growing threats

Cairo, Geneva, Jerusalem, 23 January 2024 – WHO and partners completed another high-risk mission on Monday to resupply fuel to the Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people remain cut off from aid. Across the Gaza Strip, the few remaining hospitals find themselves in ever more dire circumstances, with hostilities often preventing access for patients and...

23 January 2024

Dr Hanan Balkhy is appointed WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean

23 January 2024, Geneva – The WHO Executive Board, currently holding its 154th session in Geneva, has appointed Dr Hanan Balkhy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. This follows her nomination by the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean on 10 October 2023. Dr Balkhy takes up her appointment on 1 February...

23 January 2024

Young health professionals combat antimicrobial resistance

23 January 2024 – The WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region has some of the highest and fastest-growing rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) globally, owing to widespread antibiotic misuse and overuse. Nearly 1.3 million people are already dying as a direct result of AMR worldwide. High rates of drug resistance undermine many health efforts and make health care more complex, expensive and...

15 January 2024

15 January 2024 Good afternoon from WHO’s Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean in Cairo, Egypt. We are now at the 100-day mark since the hostilities in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory escalated. In this short period of time, Gazans – previously waking up every day in their beds to get ready to go to school or work, have family dinners together,...

28 December 2023

WHO teams deliver supplies to hospitals in Northern and Southern Gaza

27 December 2023 – Gaza: World Health Organization teams have undertaken high-risk missions to deliver supplies, with partners, to hospitals in Northern and Southern Gaza witnessing intense hostilities in their vicinity, high patient loads and overcrowding caused by people displaced by the conflict seeking refuge. “Today I repeat my call on the international community to take urgent steps to alleviate the...

25 December 2023

WHO builds health emergency response capacities

25 December 2023, Cairo, Egypt – Data management skills can help experts to better handle health emergency data and respond to public health challenges. To strengthen data management in health emergency response, WHO conducted the Regional Training on Capacity Development of Data Analytics and Dissemination, using R software, in Amman, Jordan, on 3–7 December 2023. The training was attended by epidemiologists...

21 December 2023

Lethal combination of hunger and disease to lead to more deaths in Gaza

21 December 2023  – Hunger is ravaging Gaza, and this is expected to increase illness across the Strip, most acutely among children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and older people. In new estimates released today, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) global partnership, which includes WHO, said Gaza is facing “catastrophic levels of food insecurity,” with the risk of famine “increasing each...

21 December 2023

Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative on the occupied Palestinian territorySean Casey, WHO Emergency Medical Teams coordinator Yesterday, 20 December 2023, in another high-risk joint mission, a team from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other UN partners, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the United Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the United Nations Department of Safety...

20 December 2023

WHO and IARC: 10 years of collaboration to control cancer

20 December 2023 – WHO and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) continue to work together to improve cancer surveillance systems in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. The aim is to improve reporting and surveillance systems and the quality of cancer-related data – ultimately to contribute to cancer control. Such efforts support the millions of people in the...

19 December 2023

19 December 2023 Thank you all for joining us. This is my last media briefing before the year ends, and I am speaking to you today with the heaviest heart as I, like all of us here, witness unimaginable suffering. Our region of over half a billion people is home to 38% of the global population in need of humanitarian aid, which means...

17 December 2023

WHO delivers health supplies to Al-Shifa Hospital, appeals for continued access to address urgent needs in north Gaza

17 December 2023 — WHO staff participated in a joint UN mission to Al-Shifa Hospital in north Gaza on 16 December to deliver health supplies and assess the situation in the facility. Partners on today’s mission included OCHA, UNDSS, and UNMAS. The team delivered medicines and surgical supplies, orthopedic surgery equipment, and anesthesia materials and drugs to the hospital. Al-Shifa Hospital,...

12 December 2023

WHO calls for protection of humanitarian space in Gaza following serious incidents in high-risk mission to transfer patients, deliver health supplies

12 December 2023 – Cairo, Geneva, Jerusalem, WHO reiterates its call for the protection of health care and humanitarian assistance in Gaza, following military checkpoint delays and detention of health partners during a mission to transfer critically-ill patients and deliver supplies to a hospital in northern Gaza. During the mission, a patient reportedly died.  On 9 December 2023, a WHO team,...

10 December 2023

RD’s intervention for the special session on the health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem Geneva

Geneva, 10 December 2023  Dear colleagues, ladies, and gentlemen, I would like to start by asking for a minute of silence in memory of our WHO colleague Dima Alhaj and all the humanitarian workers who have been killed in Gaza, some with several of their family members, over the past two months. WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region – plagued by some of the world’s...

06 December 2023

WHO strengthens risk assessment capacities in Morocco

4 December 2023, Rabat, Morocco – The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean ran a 2-day training programme in Rabat, Morocco, to strengthen the risk assessment capacities of the Moroccan Ministry of Health. Experts from the WHO Regional Office, WHO Country Office in Morocco and Ministry of Health facilitated the training. The training equipped Ministry of Health personnel with the knowledge...

05 December 2023

Meet the heroes powering our emergency response

Episode 4 5 December 2023  – One ordinary Saturday morning in Khartoum, Sudan, during the holy month of Ramadan, I was suddenly awoken by a deafening sound and the house shaking. From the roof, I saw the formidable sight of a fighter jet flying overhead and heavy smoke rising in the distance. The sound grew louder, more aggressive, horrible. A bombshell landed...

04 December 2023

4 December 2023, Cairo/Geneva – Once again, nowhere is safe in Gaza. WHO is gravely concerned about the resumption of hostilities, including heavy bombardment in Gaza, and reiterates its appeal to Israel to take every possible measure to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, as per the laws of war. We have seen what happened in northern Gaza. This cannot...

24 November 2023

Joint UN mission transfers critical patients from Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, under intense fighting

24 November 2023, Geneva/Cairo - On 22 November, in cooperation with the Palestine Red Crescent Society, WHO participated in another joint-UN mission to transfer 151 patients, relatives and health workers accompanying them from Al-Shifa hospital in northern Gaza. The mission was undertaken following specific requests from health authorities and hospital officials in Gaza. This was the third mission to Al-Shifa carried...

23 November 2023

WHO and King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) sign a Letter of Intent to scale up health response assistance in Gaza Strip

23 November 2023, Cairo, Egypt – The World Health Organization (WHO) and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) today signed a letter of intent to solidify their commitment to collaborative humanitarian efforts in the Gaza Strip. The letter of intent, for US$ 10 million, was signed by Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, and...

23 November 2023

Safe and disaster-resilient health facilities in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

22 November 2023, Cairo, Egypt – The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean ran a 2-day capacity-building training for 6 countries to strengthen the safety and preparedness of health facilities to better respond to and manage emergencies and disasters. Participants from Afghanistan, Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran, Oman, Pakistan, Syria and Yemen took part. The subregional workshop on safe emergency...

22 November 2023

WHO Regional Director’s remarks at the regional press briefing on health emergencies

22 November 2023 – Thank you for joining us today for our regional update on the health emergencies in the occupied Palestinian territory and Sudan.  Before I begin my remarks, I’d like to take a moment to remember Dima Alhaj, our young WHO colleague who was tragically killed yesterday when her parents’ home was bombed. Dima’s husband, 6-month-old baby boy and more...

21 November 2023

WHO staff member killed in Gaza

Cairo/Geneva/Jerusalem, 21 November 2023 – With heavy hearts, WHO announces the death of one of our staff in Gaza, in the occupied Palestinian territory. Dima Abdullatif Mohammed Alhaj, 29 years old, had been with WHO since December 2019. She worked as a patient administrator at the Limb Reconstruction Centre, a critical part of the WHO Trauma and Emergency Team.   Dima died today...

21 November 2023

Regional Director statement on the health crisis in Sudan

21 November 2023 – With the world’s attention having turned to the horrifying situation in Gaza, we must remember that the Sudanese people continue to face suffering on a scale that is also catastrophic. The figures coming out of Sudan are staggering: nearly 25 million people need humanitarian aid and 11 million people need urgent health assistance. More than 20 million...

20 November 2023

WHO appalled by latest attack on Indonesian Hospital in Gaza

20 November 2023 — WHO is appalled by the attack today on the Indonesian Hospital in North Gaza, which reportedly resulted in the killing of at least 12 persons including patients and their companions residing at the hospital. According to reports, tens of people were also injured in the attack, including some with critical and life-threatening injuries. Health workers and...

19 November 2023

WHO-led joint UN and Red Crescent mission evacuates 31 infants from Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza

19 November 2023, Geneva/Cairo  – A second WHO-led joint UN mission, working in collaboration with the Palestine Red Crescent Society, earlier today evacuated 31 babies from Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza, to a hospital in southern Gaza. The severely ill babies were transported in 6 ambulances supplied and staffed by the Palestine Red Crescent. Other mission members included UN Mine Action,...

19 November 2023

WHO leads very high-risk joint humanitarian mission to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza

18 November 2023 - Earlier today, a joint UN humanitarian assessment team, led by WHO accessed Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza to assess the situation on the ground and conduct a rapid situational analysis, assess medical priorities, and establish logistics options for further missions. The team included public health experts, logistics officers, and security staff from OCHA, UNDSS, UNMAS/UNOPS, UNRWA...

18 November 2023

18 November 2023, Cairo, Egypt – As World AMR Awareness Week 2023 begins today, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean emphasizes the urgent need to address the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Antibiotic resistance threatens health care in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Drug-resistant infections are more and more common and are spreading faster. Misuse and overuse of antibiotics in...

16 November 2023

Meet the heroes powering our emergency response

Episode 3 16 November 2023 – I am Nevien Attalla, and I serve as Operations Manager at the WHO logistics hub in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. My background in pharmacy has facilitated my career journey and contributed significantly to humanitarian efforts. I had been a microbiological instructor to the retail field before joining the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot in 2012, where...

16 November 2023

Cervical Cancer Elimination Day of Action: For the first time in history, a cancer can be eliminated!

On November 17, 2023, the world will mark three years of the global collaboration with survivors, leaders, and advocates towards the elimination of cervical cancer. This provides an opportunity to celebrate the global commitment and review progress on the pathway to elimination, aiming for a threshold of fewer than 4 women per 100 000 women-years. This has catalyzed a social...

15 November 2023

15 November 2023 – Over the last 50 years, health systems in the Eastern Mediterranean Region have been transformed, leading to improved health outcomes. Among other factors, the ability to prevent and treat infection successfully and cost-effectively has made an immense contribution to this progress. Child deaths have more than halved-from an under 5 death rate of 99 deaths per...

14 November 2023

14 November 2023, Cairo, Egypt – World Diabetes Day is being marked across the globe today. As well as raise awareness of diabetes as a global public health issue, the event aims to highlight what must be done, collectively and individually, to enable access to better prevention, diagnosis and management of the condition. World Diabetes Day this year focuses on access...

13 November 2023

Scaling up infection prevention and control capacities in fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings

The WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region is at a critical juncture to capitalize on the momentum from the COVID-19 response. Turning temporarily scaled-up capacity in countries and territories into permanent capacities, agendas and networks will strengthen health security and systems for the future. Infection prevention and control (IPC) is an area in which the Region made substantial gains during the COVID-19 pandemic....

12 November 2023

UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO Regional Directors call for immediate action to halt attacks on health care in Gaza

Statement by Ms. Laila Baker, UNFPA Arab States Regional Director; Ms. Adele Khodr, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa; Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean 12 November 2023, Cairo/Amman — The regional directors of UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO call for urgent international action to end the ongoing attacks on hospitals in Gaza. We are...

12 November 2023

WHO loses communication with contacts in Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza amid reports of attacks

12 November 2023 — WHO has lost communication with its contacts in Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza. As horrifying reports of the hospital facing repeated attacks continue to emerge, we assume our contacts joined tens of thousands of displaced people who had sought shelter on the hospital grounds and are fleeing the area. There are reports that some people who...

08 November 2023

Risk of disease spread soars in Gaza as health facilities, water and sanitation systems disrupted

8 November 2023 – As deaths and injuries in Gaza continue to rise due to intensified hostilities, intense overcrowding and disrupted health, water, and sanitation systems pose an added danger: the rapid spread of infectious diseases. Some worrying trends are already emerging.  Lack of fuel has led to the shutting down of desalination plants, significantly increasing the risk of bacterial infections...

04 November 2023

Attacks on health care in Gaza Strip unacceptable, says WHO

4 November 2023 — WHO condemns the attacks on 3 November near Al-Shifa Hospital, Al-Quds Hospital, and the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza City and North Gaza governorates. According to reports, at Al-Shifa Hospital, ambulances were evacuating critically injured and sick patients to hospitals in the south of the Gaza Strip when there was an attack at the entrance of the hospital....

01 November 2023

WHO Regional Director Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari concludes visit to Lebanon

01 November 2023, Beirut, Lebanon – As hostilities escalate on the border between Lebanon and Israel, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari has concluded a visit to Beirut, where he met with the Prime Minister, the Minister of Health, UN partners, and WHO staff to reinforce health system preparedness for a potential escalation of the conflict. Over...

01 November 2023

Healthy Cities Conference concludes with Doha Statement

1 November 2023 – The Doha Statement on Healthy Cities was endorsed today, concluding the Eastern Mediterranean Healthy Cities Conference2023 jointly organized by WHO and Ministry of Public Health of Qatar. The Doha Declaration serves as a call for action to advance towards to sustainable urban well-being. The 2-day event brought together experts and specialists from almost all corners of the...

01 November 2023

WHO welcomes decision by Egypt to receive patients from Gaza Strip

1 November 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomes Egypt’s decision to accept 81 injured and sick people from the Gaza Strip for treatment. WHO has been working to support the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population in planning and establishing a comprehensive triage, stabilization, and medical evacuation system, by providing ongoing training for health care staff. WHO is also...

31 October 2023

31 October 2023, Doha, Qatar – Her Excellency Dr Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari, Minister of Public Health of Qatar, today inaugurated the 3-day Eastern Mediterranean Region Healthy Cities Conference 2023, organized by the Ministry of Public Health and the World Health Organization (WHO). The opening ceremony was attended by Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, and senior...

30 October 2023

Meet the heroes powering our emergency response

Episode 2 30 October 2023 – I was resting at home, as I do on weekends, when I felt the powerful earthquake that struck Afghanistan’s Herat province a little after 11:00 on 7 October 2023. It was so unusually strong that everyone in my family instantly jumped up and rushed outside. I immediately called the regional hospital in Herat city, the largest...

27 October 2023

Multi-Country Funding Appeal: occupied Palestinian territory and Egypt, Lebanon, Syrian Arab Republic and Jordan

27 October 2023 – Since 7 October 2023, the escalating crisis in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory has caused large numbers of civilian deaths and injuries. In the Gaza Strip, airstrikes and a lack of medical supplies, food, water and fuel have virtually depleted an already under-resourced health system. Hospitals have been operating far beyond capacity due to rising numbers...

24 October 2023

As Gaza’s health system disintegrates, WHO calls for safe passage of fuel, supplies for health facilities

24 October 2023 – WHO remains unable to distribute fuel and essential, life-saving health supplies to major hospitals in northern Gaza due to lack of security guarantees. WHO calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire so health supplies and fuel can be delivered safely throughout the Gaza Strip. Some of the facilities waiting for WHO supplies and fuel in northern Gaza include Al-Shifa...

24 October 2023

New GIS Portal for Health Emergencies goes live

24 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt – A regional Geographic Information System (GIS) Portal for Health Emergencies has been developed and launched by the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. The GIS Portal is a comprehensive hub, offering an updated geospatial resource to facilitate timely response during health emergencies at the regional and country levels. The GIS Portal is an invaluable...

21 October 2023

WHO health supplies move towards Gaza

21 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt — Four trucks carrying WHO health supplies have started to move towards the Rafah border crossing, on their way to Gaza. The supplies include trauma medicines and supplies for 1200 people and 235 portable trauma bags for on-the-spot stabilization of injured patients. They also include medicines for the treatment of chronic diseases for 1500 people, and...

19 October 2023

WHO workshop reviews project to improve monitoring capacity in humanitarian and fragile settings

Cairo, 19 October 2023 – The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean ran a workshop in Alexandria governorate, Egypt, in September 2023 to review implementation of a project, Improving monitoring capacity in humanitarian and fragile settings in the Eastern Mediterranean Region of WHO. The 3-day workshop on this capacity-building project involved WHO office staff and ministry of health focal points...

18 October 2023

18 October 2023 – WHO strongly condemns the attack on Al Ahli Arab Hospital in the north of the Gaza Strip. The hospital was operational, with patients, health and care givers, and internally displaced people sheltering there. Early reports indicate hundreds of fatalities and injuries. The hospital was one of 20 in the north of the Gaza Strip facing evacuation orders...

17 October 2023

WHO Regional Director’s remarks at the regional press briefing on health emergencies

17 October 2023 – Eleven days ago, the Eastern Mediterranean Region – which was already facing some of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters – was confronted with a new emergency involving Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, which has now reached catastrophic proportions. Just as concerning is the spilling over of the conflict into other parts of the Region. The escalation...

15 October 2023

WHO delivers medical supplies to Lebanon as violence in the occupied Palestinian territory intensifies

Beirut, Lebanon, 15 October 2023 — The World Health Organization (WHO) has expedited the delivery of critical medical supplies to Lebanon in order to be ready to respond to any potential health crisis. Two shipments arrived in Beirut today from WHO’s logistics hub in Dubai, and include enough surgical and trauma medicines and supplies to meet the needs of 800 to...

15 October 2023

Advancing health security in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

15 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt – In the diverse WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, positive results have been yielded by concerted efforts to enhance health security through the monitoring and building of the International Health Regulations (IHR) core capacities. Collaborative initiatives supported by WHO have led to notable advances in the Region’s ability to prevent, prepare for, detect and respond to public...

15 October 2023

Strengthening public health intelligence in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

15 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt – The WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region has made great strides in strengthening public health intelligence capabilities in recent years, thanks to joint efforts by WHO and the Region’s countries and territories. WHO stresses the importance of continuous monitoring and prompt signal detection. Hence, a dedicated team of experts in the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean...

15 October 2023

Revitalizing M&E systems in humanitarian and fragile settings: the success story of WHO’s Response Monitoring project

15 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt – In the complex landscape of fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable (FCV) settings, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) play a crucial role in ensuring response efficiency and effectiveness and in improving health outcomes. Data collection in these settings presents some unique challenges, however. These include, but are not limited to, the following: Limited access to conflict-affected areas due to...

14 October 2023

Evacuation orders by Israel to hospitals in northern Gaza are a death sentence for the sick and injured

14 October 2023 – As the United Nation’s agency responsible for public health, the World Health Organization (WHO) strongly condemns Israel's repeated orders for the evacuation of 22 hospitals treating more than 2000 inpatients in northern Gaza. The forced evacuation of patients and health workers will further worsen the current humanitarian and public health catastrophe. The lives of many critically ill and...

14 October 2023

Lifesaving WHO health supplies land in Egypt for people-in-need in Gaza

14 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt – A plane carrying 78 cubic metres of health supplies from WHO’s logistics hub in Dubai has landed in Al-Arish airport in Egypt. The supplies will be delivered to Gaza to meet critical health needs as soon as humanitarian access through the Rafah crossing is established. Every hour these supplies remain on the Egyptian side of the...

12 October 2023

Hospitals in the Gaza Strip at a breaking point, warns WHO

Jerusalem, 12 October 2023 - WHO warns that the health system in the Gaza Strip is at a breaking point. Time is running out to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe if fuel and life-saving health and humanitarian supplies cannot be urgently delivered to the Gaza Strip amidst the complete blockade. Hospitals have only a few hours of electricity each day as they...

12 October 2023

Earthquake in Herat province

12 October 2023 – A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck the western region of Afghanistan on 7 October 2023 caused widespread devastation in a country facing one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. Women, children and vulnerable populations are gravely affected by the disaster. WHO’s Country Office in Kabul and field office in Herat rapidly mobilized resources and extended immediate...

12 October 2023

12 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt − The 70th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean concluded today. RC70 took place amid a barrage of emergencies in the Region, including escalating hostilities and a deteriorating humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, increasing conflict in northwest Syria and successive earthquakes in Afghanistan. The impact of these events and...

11 October 2023

Progress update on health-related SDG targets

11 October 2023 – RC70 today saw the launch of the second volume in a series of progress reports on the Eastern Mediterranean Region’s efforts towards achieving the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The regional Vision 2023 is anchored in and contributes to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Progress on the health-related Sustainable Development Goals and targets in the...

11 October 2023

Meet Dr Sumaya Shaftar providing urgent mental health support to flood-affected people in Derna, Libya

11 October 2023 – In the wake of the devastating flood crisis that struck Libya, the World Health Organization (WHO) works with local health authorities in eastern Libya to establish a range of mental health services, from basic psychological first aid to specialized psychiatric care. WHO is supporting the setting up of mental health clinics staffed by specialists to respond...

11 October 2023

Climate change, health and environment: a new regional framework for action, 2023–2029

11 October 2023 – The climate crisis is the greatest health challenge of the 21st century. The mean temperature is increasing rapidly and other climatic variables are worsening – and these changes are occurring twice as fast in the Eastern Mediterranean Region as elsewhere in the world. The health impacts of climate change are substantial and include more deadly extreme weather events,...

11 October 2023

Noncommunicable diseases in fragile and conflict-hit settings

11 October 2023  – Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the world’s biggest killers and a leading cause of death in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, killing more than 2.8 million people every year. The prevalence of NCDs in the Region is high: an estimated 66.5% of deaths are attributed to these diseases. This alarming situation worsens in emergency settings. NCDs are challenging during and...

11 October 2023

Situation in the occupied Palestinian territory

In the occupied Palestinian territory, where a 16-year blockade has left the Gaza Strip’s health system severely under-resourced, escalating hostilities with Israel that began on 7 October 2023 are compounding an already dire situation. Power outages and shortages of medicines and health supplies in Gaza Strip hospitals are hindering the delivery of life-saving medical care. Attacks on health care have...

11 October 2023

Enhancing health security: strengthening readiness for mass gatherings

11 October 2023 – Mass gatherings, while a source of joy and unity, can also put a strain on health systems and resources. When tens of thousands of people gather for an event, it can create an ideal environment for the spread of diseases – and even disease outbreaks. The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean is launching a comprehensive framework...

11 October 2023

Beyond the spiritual: Saudi Arabia and WHO’s partnership to ensure safe Hajj gatherings

The Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, inspires awe in both active participants and those who witness the event remotely, on television. First and foremost, there is the spiritual significance of the event. But what also captures the focus are the remarkable efforts of the Government of Saudi Arabia to ensure the safety and well-being of the millions of pilgrims...

10 October 2023

10 October 2023 – In December 2021, at its second-ever special session, the World Health Assembly took a significant step by establishing an Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) tasked with drafting and negotiating a convention, agreement or other international instrument under the constitution of the World Health Organization (WHO). This historic endeavour aims to strengthen global pandemic prevention, preparedness and response...

10 October 2023

New Regional Director nominated for the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region

10 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt – Dr Hanan Balkhy has today been nominated as the next WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. Member States voted to nominate Dr Balkhy during a closed meeting at the 70th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean. The nomination will be submitted to the WHO Executive Board during its 154th session,...

10 October 2023

Health workforce in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: from COVID-19 lessons to action

11 October 2023 – The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted once again the importance of health workers in maintaining the health of populations and providing essential health services. It has also resulted in greater recognition of the critical role of the health workforce in delivering essential public health functions and responding to health emergencies. Countries and territories in the Eastern Mediterranean Region...

10 October 2023

Member States   urged to go all in to end polio during meeting of the Regional Subcommittee for  Polio Eradication and Outbreaks

10 October 2023 ‒ The urgency of ending polio was impressed upon Member States at the ninth meeting of the Regional Subcommittee for Polio Eradication and Outbreaks in the Eastern Mediterranean, held during the 70th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean . Endemic wild poliovirus is present only in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, in just 2...

10 October 2023

WHO works to strengthen mental health services in Libya in the aftermath of Storm Daniel

10 October 2023, Tripoli, Libya – Following the devastation wrought by Storm Daniel, hundreds of thousands of people in eastern Libya are mourning the loss of loved ones, homes, possessions and livelihoods. Tens of thousands more are desperately hoping for news of the nearly 9000 people who remain missing. WHO estimates that at least 1 in 5 people will suffer from...

10 October 2023

10 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt – Today, we mark World Mental Health Day 2023, the theme of which is “Mental health is a universal human right”. This year’s campaign calls on governments, politicians, health authorities, civil society and communities to place mental health at the top of health, development and humanitarian agendas. World Mental Health Day has two main goals. First,...

10 October 2023

Final report on implementing Vision 2023

10 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt ‒ A report on WHO’s work in the Eastern Mediterranean Region over the past 5 years was presented on the second day of RC70. It documents the tremendous, tireless work carried out by our countries and territories and concerned stakeholders, in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, to achieve the strategic...

10 October 2023

Strengthening global health security: the working group on IHR amendments

10 October 2023 ‒ In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the international community has taken decisive steps to strengthen global health security. Among these efforts, the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 stands as a pillar of collaboration and reform. IHR amendments: a vital initiative Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized the need...

09 October 2023

The 70th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean opens in Cairo

9 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt ‒ The 70th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean¬, also known as RC70, was inaugurated this evening in Cairo, Egypt. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, and Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, addressed delegates after the opening proceedings. Numerous ministers of health and other representatives of...

09 October 2023

Unprecedented scale of health emergencies engulfs the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region

9 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt – As ministers of health from countries and territories across the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region gather in Cairo, Egypt, for the 70th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean, the Region is facing an unprecedented onslaught of emergencies that are inflicting a profound and alarming impact on public health. “The sheer magnitude and...

09 October 2023

9 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt – The World Health Organization (WHO) congratulates Egypt for its unprecedented progress towards eliminating hepatitis C, becoming the first country to achieve “gold tier” status on the path to elimination of hepatitis C as per WHO criteria. Achieving the gold tier means that Egypt has fulfilled the programmatic requirements that facilitate the reduction of new...

04 October 2023

WHO Regional Director’s statement at the media briefing, 4 October 2023

4 October 2023 – This briefing bridges two crucial events at which decision-makers converge. The first is the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which I attended last month and where world leaders renewed their commitment, action, and solidarity to fight pandemic threats and to advance universal health coverage. The second is the annual meeting of the Regional Committee...

02 October 2023

101 health workers killed in Libya in the aftermath of Storm Daniel

2 October 2023, Tripoli, Libya – A staggering 101 health workers in Libya lost their lives during Storm Daniel or in its immediate aftermath. Some were killed at home, others in the line of duty. Families and coworkers have described their anguish and feelings of helplessness at seeing their relatives, friends and colleagues swept away by the sheer force of...

01 October 2023

WHO extends gratitude to the Government of Japan for life-saving support in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

1 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt – Today, Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, met with His Excellency Mr Oka Hiroshi, Ambassador of Japan to Egypt, to affirm the continued cooperation between WHO and Japan in responding to health crises across the Region. The Eastern Mediterranean Region faces myriad health crises. WHO acknowledges the significant support from the...

28 September 2023

Libya: “A disaster of epic proportions”

Two weeks after Storm Daniel struck Libya, the scale of the damage is almost indescribable. The floods that followed left in their muddy wake a humanitarian crisis on a massive scale, particularly in Derna. An estimated 30 million cubic metres of water came roaring through the city when 2 dams in the nearby mountains collapsed. The torrent of water levelled...

28 September 2023

Meet the heroes powering our emergency response

Episode 1 My name is Dr Fares Kady, and I currently serve as the head of the WHO sub-office in Aleppo, Syria. My journey began in the last century – when I volunteered with the Red Cross/Red Crescent in 1998 – then on to the international NGO field. I joined WHO in 2013. Two decades of experience in humanitarian work taught me...

25 September 2023

Statement by the WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the press  conference on RC70

25 September 2023 – 2023 has been unique in many ways. In May, WHO declared that COVID-19 was no longer a public health emergency of international concern. It remains a threat. Scientists continue to detect new strains and subvariants in circulation. But it is now one issue among many, to be managed alongside other infectious diseases and other health challenges. We...

22 September 2023

Tripoli, Libya, 22 September 2023 – In the wake of catastrophic floods that had a devastating impact on Libya's east coast, the World Health Organization (WHO) is taking swift action to assist affected communities. WHO is supporting urgent efforts to restore access to health care and control the spread of infectious diseases, especially among the tens of thousands of people...

21 September 2023

21 September 2023, Cairo, Egypt – WHO has released an innovative, interactive report that provides insights into the vast operations and global impact of WHO’s logistics hub in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The new report reveals the logistics hub’s impressive ability to provide support on an unprecedented scale, and its swift, adaptable response to humanitarian crises. This reinforces its vital role...

19 September 2023

19 September 2023, Amman, Jordan – Today is the first day of the intercountry meeting for nutrition focal points organized by the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. It also marks the launch of the Eastern Mediterranean Region food composition database, a joint initiative by Al-Quds University and the Regional Office. The meeting is taking place from 19 to 21 September...

16 September 2023

WHO health supplies arrive in Libya as part of intensified response to devastating floods

16 September 2023, Tripoli, Libya – Today, 29 metric tonnes of health supplies arrived in Benghazi, Libya, from the WHO Global Logistics Hub in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With enough supplies to reach almost 250,000 people with health aid, the shipment reflects an intensified emergency response to the unprecedented flooding in eastern Libya in the aftermath of Storm Daniel. The...

13 September 2023

World Patient Safety Day 2023

September 2023, Egypt – This year, World Patient Safety Day 2023 is being celebrated around the theme “Engaging patients for patient safety”, in recognition of the central role that patients, their families and caregivers play in advancing safe care, reducing harm and preventing avoidable deaths. With the slogan “Elevate the voice of patients", World Patient Safety Day focuses on patient engagement...

07 September 2023

COVID-19 remains a persistent public health threat

7 September 2023, Cairo, Egypt – WHO recently designated the Omicron EG.5 lineage as a “variant of interest” and listed other closely monitored variants. It serves as a stark reminder that COVID-19 poses an enduring threat to public health. Within the Region, 4 countries that share COVID-19-specific reports have detected the EG.5 variant. Other countries have begun to integrate COVID-19 reporting...

05 September 2023

World Suicide Prevention Day 2023

7 September 2023, Cairo — World Suicide Prevention Day is being marked globally today, under the theme “Creating hope through action”. Suicide is a major public health problem with far-reaching social, emotional and economic consequences. It is the fourth leading cause of death among people between 15 and 29 years old. Estimates show that more than 700 000 people die due to...

29 August 2023

FAO, UNICEF, WFP and WHO join efforts to address child malnutrition affecting millions of children in the region

Amman/Cairo, 29 August 2023 – Today, the regional directors of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in the Near East and North Africa, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) in the Middle East and North Africa and the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region have launched a...

23 August 2023

Call for nominations to serve on the WHO regional Youth Council

Thank you for your interest to join the WHO EMRO Youth Council. The call for nominations is now closed. Applications have been submitted and will be reviewed in the coming weeks. 23 August 2023 – Young people are tomorrow’s leaders and today’s agents of change. WHO believes that young people’s voices should be at the heart of decisions that impact the...

23 August 2023

World No Tobacco Day 2023 award

23 August 2023, Cairo, Egypt – Every year, the WHO Regional Office recognizes individuals for their accomplishments in the area of tobacco control. Today, the World No Tobacco Day award was presented to Dr Hani Al Gouhmani, former coordinator of the Framework Convention Alliance for supporting nongovernmental organizations in tobacco control in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and for his tireless...

19 August 2023

Statement by Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day 2023

19 August 2023, Cairo, Egypt – On this World Humanitarian Day, we come together to recognize the unwavering dedication and compassion of communities, humanitarian workers, and health care workers who tirelessly serve those in need worldwide.  This year's theme, "No Matter What", resonates deeply as we reflect on the challenges faced by the humanitarians caught in crises and their remarkable efforts...

17 August 2023

Afghanistan's health system suffers critical underfunding, calls for donor support

17 August 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new alert calling for increased investment in health care service provision in Afghanistan, particularly in underserved areas that are severely under-resourced and vulnerable due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.  After decades of instability, exacerbated by severe drought and natural disasters, Afghanistan is currently facing a prolonged humanitarian crisis, with millions...

17 August 2023

World Humanitarian Day

19 August 2023 – On World Humanitarian Day 2023, join us as we embark on a journey that shines a spotlight on the unwavering spirit of solidarity that unites us all. Today and everyday, we celebrate the individuals across our Region dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of those in need. Please join us in honouring these heroes...

15 August 2023

15 August 2023, NEW YORK/GENEVA/ROME – For 4 gruesome months, the people of Sudan have been engulfed in a war that is destroying their lives and their homeland, and violating their basic human rights. People have witnessed their loved ones gunned down. Women and girls have been sexually assaulted. Families have seen their possessions looted and their homes burnt to the ground. People...

10 August 2023

10 August 2023 – While there has been progress in building laboratory capacity in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, significant challenges remain, such as a lack of national policy and strategic planning for laboratory services, insufficient funding, insufficiently trained laboratory staff, inadequate laboratory infrastructure, old and inadequately serviced equipment, a lack of essential reagents and consumables, weak biosafety and biorisk management...

08 August 2023

Hepatitis medicines are cheaper now. Treat to save lives.

8 August 2023  – World Hepatitis Day is observed each year on 28 July. The slogan of this year’s regional campaign was “Hepatitis medicines are cheaper now. Treat to save lives”. In WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region, countries/territories have been making slow progress towards testing and treatment targets to eliminate hepatitis as a public health problem by 2030. In 2021, 18 million people...

01 August 2023

50th country recognized by WHO for eliminating a neglected tropical disease, marking the halfway point towards the 100-country target set for 2030

30 July 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) congratulates Iraq for having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, making it the fifth country in WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region to achieve this milestone. “The success of Iraq’s national trachoma programme has shown what can be achieved with national leadership and collaboration”, said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Freedom from trachoma...

27 July 2023

Brazzaville/Cairo, 27 July 2023 – The conflict in Sudan that has forced 3.4 million people to flee for safety within the country and across its borders is rapidly intensifying health threats, with cases of infectious diseases and other afflictions reported among the displaced population who have sought refuge in hard-to-reach locations, with limited health services. Among those uprooted from their homes,...

24 July 2023

Joint statement by Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, and Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa 24 July 2023 – The relentless fighting that has raged in Sudan since April continues to claim lives, force people from their homes and country, and leave others trapped with limited access to essential services, including health care. Three months...

24 July 2023

World Drowning Prevention Day 2023: Anyone can drown, no one should

25 July 2023, Cairo - Today is World Drowning Prevention Day, which is celebrated on the 25 July every year.  The slogan of this year’s World Drowning Prevention Day is “Anyone can drown, no one should”. To mark the day, WHO continues to focus on raising awareness on drowning as a public health issue, reminding people of what everyone should do...

13 July 2023

Cairo/Mogadishu, 13 July 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) deplores and condemns the latest attack on a health facility in Las Canood, Somaliland on 11 July 2023. As a result of this attack, dozens of people were killed and injured — including health care workers and patients — and 2 ambulances were destroyed.  “WHO extends its sincere condolences to the families...

10 July 2023

WHO airlifts additional life-saving supplies to respond to health needs in Sudan

Cairo, 10 July 2023 – A chartered flight carrying 18 metric tons of life-saving medicines and medical supplies worth US$ 560 000 arrived in Port Sudan for distribution to meet health needs amid the ongoing conflict.  The shipment consists of essential medicines and consumables, diagnostic kits, blood bags, trauma and emergency surgery supplies, and trauma backpacks that will help health workers diagnose and...

27 June 2023

General health advice and guidelines for pilgrims

The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a list of recommendations that each pilgrim should follow. These recommendations are in line with the health requirements set by the health authorities in Saudi Arabia for pilgrims in the Hajj season this year.  Physical ability, chronic diseases and health education WHO recommends that authorities at pilgrims’ countries of origin should take into account that...

26 June 2023

Statement by WHO's Regional Director on the occasion of hajj 2023

26 June 2023 – In just a few hours’ time, the hajj season for 2023 (1444 H) will begin. Millions of Muslims from every corner of the world are coming to Makkah. This year is of great significance as hajj is back to regular practice, with higher numbers of pilgrims expected after 3 years of special measures due to the COVID-19...

20 June 2023

Cairo, 20 June 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomes the support of Member States and partners to the humanitarian response in Sudan and the Region and urges donors to fulfil their pledges so that the urgent health needs of millions of Sudanese people can be met. A humanitarian crisis is always a health crisis. Two months of heightened...

16 June 2023

Brazzaville, Cairo, 16 June 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) today released a new funding appeal requesting US$ 145 million to meet the increasing health needs of people affected by violence in Sudan and to assist those who have fled to neighbouring countries. This funding will allow WHO to reach 7.6 million people inside Sudan and more than 500 000...

13 June 2023

Message from Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director, on the occasion of World Blood Donor Day 2023

Every year on 14 June, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day. This year’s campaign focuses on patients requiring life-long support with blood transfusion or plasma proteins. The campaign highlights the role that every single person can play, by giving the valuable gift of blood or plasma regularly to ensure a safe and sustainable supply of blood and...

11 June 2023

Mogadishu, 11 June 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) condemns in the strongest possible terms the complex attack on the Pearl Beach Hotel and Restaurant located in the Abdiaziz district of Mogadishu, Somalia, on 9 June 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 16 innocent civilians, including a WHO national staff member. This tragic event also left more than...

28 May 2023

Out of Sudan: Nadia smiles as only the brave do

28 May 2023 – Meeting Nadia (not her real name), one would not guess at first glance that she has just lived through 6 weeks of continuous fear and an intense sense of loss. As with most Sudanese people – who remain inspiringly resilient in the face of numerous health emergencies – Nadia masks her suffering behind a radiant smile and an...

24 May 2023

“We either leave or die” a Sudanese migrant recently arrived in Egypt told WHO

If you had to choose one word to describe the situation in Khartoum, what would it be? Nightmare. Is everyone you know unharmed? Unfortunately, not. My extended family is still there; some of their homes were looted. What was a particularly hard moment for you? Leaving our house with all the memories without knowing if we were ever going to come back again. It's a...

22 May 2023

19 May 2023, Geneva – As the world faces ongoing health and humanitarian emergencies, the Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly will focus on driving forward health for all. This year’s session of the World Health Assembly will determine the immediate and longer-term future of WHO, starting with the program budget for the next two years, key decisions about the sustainable financing of...

21 May 2023

Cairo, 21 May 2023 – The regional meeting on integrated disease surveillance (IDS) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and workshop on the open-source District Health Information Software (DHIS2) as an electronic platform for IDS was convened by an inter-departmental Technical Working Group on IDS 14–18 May 2023 in Cairo, Egypt. The first regional meeting on IDS aimed to assess the current surveillance...

17 May 2023

Family doctors: the heart of health care 17 May 2023, Cairo – On 19 May 2023, WHO joins the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) and Member States in celebrating World Family Doctor Day. Family doctors play a crucial role in promoting the health and well-being of individuals and communities. Their dedication, compassion and expertise make them the heart of health care,...

13 May 2023

  The meeting was inaugurated by His Excellency Dr Said Al Lamki, Undersecretary of Health Affairs of the Minister of Health of Oman, with representation from the Minister of Agriculture and of the Environment Authority in the Sultanate of Oman as a sign of the country’s firm commitment to One Health multisectoral coordination. This was followed by opening statements from the...

05 May 2023

Cairo, 05 May 2023 – Thirty metric tons of urgently needed trauma and emergency surgical supplies arrived in Port Sudan today aboard a chartered flight from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Logistics Hub in Dubai. Pending security and access clearances, the supplies will be distributed to 13 health facilities across the country to assist in emergency surgical procedures and trauma...

27 April 2023

For every 2 injuries due to the Syria earthquake, a death has occurred. WHO trauma experts explain why

Why was the number of deaths so much higher after the earthquake in Syria compared to injuries? From experience, we know that for every death there will likely be somewhere between 2 to 4 injuries. In Syria, the injury load was only twice the load of people dead, so an approximate ratio of 1:2. Other than the proximity of the earthquake...

27 April 2023

27 April 2023 – While the news of the ceasefire in Sudan is welcome, the attack on Sudan’s health infrastructure has escalated with the occupation of hospitals in Khartoum and Sudan’s central public health laboratory by parties to the conflict.   The impact of these occupations and the violation of these vital health facilities is being felt by the lack of access by patients to...

25 April 2023

Launch of the Morocco–WHO cooperation strategy 2023–2027 on World Health Day and the 75th anniversary of WHO

To mark this historic day, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and the WHO office in Morocco organized a ceremony to present and sign the Morocco–WHO cooperation strategy for the period 2023–2027. Developed following a rigorous evaluation of the previous cooperation strategy and consultation with key national and international partners in the health sector, this cooperation framework aligns WHO's...

23 April 2023

WHO training on mass casualty management could have saved a quarter of the lives lost in Sudan to date if health care workers had access to injured civilians

23 April 2023 – More than 420 deaths and 3700 injuries have been reported by the Federal Ministry of Health since the escalation of violence erupted in Sudan on 15 April – but paramedics, frontline nurses and doctors are often unable to access injured civilians, because of insecurity and attacks on ambulances and health facilities. The Federal Ministry of Health also reported...

20 April 2023

Regional Director opening remarks at Regional press briefing on Sudan

20 April 2023 – We are all aware of the horrific situation currently unfolding in Sudan. Since April 15th, almost 330 people have died and almost 3200 more injured as a result of fighting between government and armed opposition forces in Khartoum and a number of other states, including Darfur States. Movement in Khartoum is restricted due to the insecurity, creating challenges...

18 April 2023

Regional Director statement on attacks on health care in Sudan

Cairo, Egypt, 18 April 2023 – WHO strongly condemns reported attacks on health personnel, health facilities, and ambulances in Sudan. These attacks, which appear to be increasing in number, have already led to at least three people killed and two injured. Moreover, they limit access to live saving health care, putting more lives at risk. Reports of military strikes against health facilities,...

16 April 2023

16 April 2023 – As fighting continues in Khartoum and other parts of Sudan, the World Health Organization urges all parties to the conflict to respect the neutrality of health care and ensure unrestricted access to health facilities for those injured by the hostilities. WHO reminds all parties of their obligations under International Humanitarian Law to protect the wounded and sick, civilians,...

06 April 2023

800 000 children to be vaccinated against measles and polio across earthquake-stricken northwest Syria

Cairo/Amman, 7 April 2023 – A measles and polio vaccination campaign will launch tomorrow across northwest Syria to protect some 800 000 children under 5 years of age from 2 deadly but preventable diseases.  The vaccination drive, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), in coordination with local health workers, the Syria Immunization Group...

25 March 2023

Eight years of prolonged conflict in Yemen leave over 20 million people in need of urgent health assistance

Cairo, 25 March 2023 – With 8 years of protracted conflict and humanitarian crisis, over two thirds of Yemen’s population –  21.6 million people – are in acute need of humanitarian assistance, including over 20 million people requiring urgent health assistance.  The country’s health system continues to fall short of meeting the population’s needs. Only 54% of health facilities are fully functioning, while 46% are only...

21 March 2023

WHO and Ministry of Health collaborate to enhance Syria’s medical supply chain

21 March 2023, Damascus, Syria - The World Health Organization (WHO) has partnered with the Ministry of Health in Syria to hold a workshop, which, starting yesterday, aims to assess the national medical supply chain. This critical initiative will review essential processes, analyse distribution mechanisms and provide strategic solutions to establish a national logistics management system. An efficient supply chain for...

20 March 2023

WHO calls on global community to stand by Syria at Brussels donor conference

20 March 2023 – Ahead of today’s Donors Conference held in Brussels to raise funds and coordinate relief response in the areas affected by the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, WHO is calling on the international community to support lifesaving health response activities for the 4.9 million people most severely impacted out of the 8.8 million affected in all areas of...

19 March 2023

Third Scientific Conference and sixth EMARIS meeting on acute respiratory infections in the Region concludes in Muscat

18 March 2023 – Focusing on better preparedness, early detection, rapid response, and enhanced research for respiratory diseases, the Third Scientific Conference and the sixth EMARIS meeting on acute respiratory infections in the Eastern Mediterranean Region concluded in Muscat, Oman.  Serving as a platform to showcase partnership and solidarity, the 3-day meeting and conference convened more than 200 health experts from WHO,...

18 March 2023

Second high-level interregional meeting on the health of refugees and migrants

Sharm El Sheikh, 18 March 2023 – Amid the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes in the Syrian Arab Republic and Türkiye over a month ago, as well as the ongoing war in Ukraine now past its one-year mark, 3 WHO regional offices this week brought together governments, civil society and health partners in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, for the second high-level...

15 March 2023

Syria: the time is now

15 March 2023 – It took the massive deadly earthquake of 6 February 2023 for the global community to remember Syria, this beautiful country with its ancient civilization that has given so much to the world. The Syrian people, however, have been enduring crises and hardships of all kinds since the conflict erupted 12 years ago today. Despite their ever-deteriorating...

13 March 2023

Health experts discuss acute respiratory infections and epidemic and pandemic preparedness in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

13 March 2023, Muscat – The third Scientific Conference on Acute Respiratory Infections in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and Sixth meeting of the Eastern Mediterranean Acute Respiratory Infection Surveillance (EMARIS) network, organized by WHO together with partner organizations, and hosted by the Ministry of Health in Oman, is taking place this week in Muscat, from 13 to 15 March.  The theme of...

08 March 2023

“Digit ALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality” Cairo, Egypt, 8 March 2023 – Today we celebrate International Women’s Day 2023 under the theme “Digit ALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”.  How can new technologies contribute to better health and well-being and reduce gender gaps in health? COVID-19 showed that technology is key to improving access to health care and providing information...