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9 April 2025 – The Sultanate of Oman welcomed World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Hanan Balkhy for a 1-day visit, on Wednesday, 9 April 2025, to reinforce collaboration to advance Health for All in Oman and the Region. The highlight of the visit was the launch of Oman’s National Health Policy (NHP), an updated framework aligned with Oman’s Vision 2040 that prioritizes sustainability, governance and cross-sector partnerships. Designed to be adaptable to emerging global health developments, the policy lays the foundation for a more efficient, equitable and resilient health system.
The launch ceremony, held under the patronage of H.E. Sayyid Dr Sultan bin Ya'arub Al Busaidi, Advisor in the Private Office, was attended by Minister of Health Dr Hilal Ali Al-Sabti, Dr Balkhy, high-ranking officials and representatives from Oman’s health sector and international organizations. Dr Balkhy emphasized how Oman’s NHP aligns with WHO’s Fourteenth General Programme 2025–2028, the Regional Strategic Operational Plan 2025–2028 and WHO’s regional flagship initiatives on access to medicines, health workforce development and substance use control. Dr Balkhy also used the occasion to reiterate that health and well-being are shared societal responsibilities.
Following the launch, the Minister of Health met with Dr Balkhy to discuss strengthening collaboration with WHO under the country cooperation strategy to meet shared health and development goals. Later, Undersecretary for Health Planning and Health Organization Dr Ahmed Salem Al-Mandhari welcomed Dr Balkhy and the WHO Oman team. Their discussions centred on the Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach which is grounded in the principle of ‘Health for All, by All’ and highlights the collective, multisectoral provision of health services.
Key strategic priorities discussed during Dr Balkhy’s visit included HiAP, health system resilience, antimicrobial resistance control and multisectoral collaboration.
Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director and H.E. Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, MOH’s Undersecretary for Health Planning and Regulation
Launch of Oman National Health Policy
Launch of Oman National Health Policy
17 October 2024
Doha, Qatar
Your Excellencies,
Media colleagues,
Distinguished guests,
I would like to welcome you to this press conference.
We have just concluded the 71st session of the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean, which was held from 14 to 17 October 2024, and hosted by the State of Qatar.
Before I start, I would like to thank Qatar for their generous hospitality and excellent organization.
I also thank their Excellencies the ministers of health, heads of delegations and delegates for their dedication, wisdom and knowledge. We have enjoyed exceptionally rich and productive discussions throughout the past four days.
The Regional Committee session was held against the backdrop of emergencies that unfortunately affect half of the countries of the Region. We are all acutely aware that precious lives are being lost every minute.
From the 12-month war in the Gaza Strip to conflicts in Lebanon, Sudan and Yemen and prolonged crises in Afghanistan, Somalia and other countries – our Region is facing unimaginable and unacceptable tragedy and suffering.
The theme of the session, “Health Beyond Borders”, reflected the strong commitment of all our Member States to work together to ensure that every single person in the Region can enjoy their fundamental human rights to life and health – no matter their location, nationality, economic or social affiliation.
The Regional Committee is WHO’s main governing body in the Eastern Mediterranean. This annual session is an essential opportunity for leaders and policy-makers from Member States to join partner organizations and WHO experts to consider key issues.
Naturally, much of our time was spent discussing emergencies and other challenges, but we were also able to celebrate numerous successes in every country, and across many different areas of public health – from the tremendous growth of our regional Healthy Cities programme to some world-beating achievements in tackling communicable diseases such as hepatitis C, leprosy and malaria.
Coming together for these annual sessions is a great chance to share experiences, inspiration, ideas and best practices.
This was my first Regional Committee since I became Regional Director in February.
I was pleased to be able to present WHO’s major strategic plans for our work in the Region, including a new regional strategic operational plan and three flagships initiatives.
The strategic operational plan will guide our work with countries for the next four years, while the flagship initiatives will help to accelerate progress in three critical areas: expanding access to essential medicines, vaccines and medical products; investing to improve the production, employment and retention of health workforce in the Region; and stepping up public health action on substance use.
I am delighted that Member States voiced their strong support for these plans, and they also provided much wise advice and feedback.
We also discussed technical papers on four major health issues:
a new operational framework for addressing physical trauma in humanitarian settings;
a new regional action plan to enhance mental health and psychosocial support in emergencies;
action to tackle the deadly threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the Region; and
harnessing the power of digital technology to improve to health information systems and health care.
And we had a very full programme of other discussion, briefings, side events and special events.
I encourage you to look at the documents on the Regional Committee website. There is a wealth of information there.
Our big meeting has concluded successfully, but our work is just beginning. I am looking forward to pushing on with the technical agenda endorsed by the Committee.
So we say goodbye to our friends, colleagues and partners today – but we will be in touch with them again soon, and we will work closely together to make our shared vision a reality.
Thank you.
23 May 2024
Your Royal Highness Princess Muna Al Hussein,
Dr Pamela Cipriano, President of the International Council of Nurses,
Ms Sandra Oyarzo Torres, President of the International Confederation of Midwives, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am pleased to join you today. Nurses and midwives are dear to my heart and high on my agenda.
They are vital components of multidisciplinary health teams, strong health systems and healthy communities.
As the largest cadre of health workers, nurses and midwives are drivers of healthy societies and healthy economies. Without them, we cannot achieve universal health coverage, health security, or the health-related Sustainable Development Goals.
A key lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic is that we need to invest more in strengthening our health workforce.
When governments invest in training, employing and retaining nurses and midwives, they alleviate poverty and enhance social and economic prosperity, gender equality, social cohesion and peace.
Unfortunately, we are not investing enough in the health workforce globally nor in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Nurses and midwives make up more than half the health workforce in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, but we still face shortages. Our Region accounts for almost 18% of the global shortage of nurses, and if current trends continue, we will lack 1.2 million nurses by 2030.
That would impact every country of the Region.
Without more well-trained nurses and midwives, we cannot tackle the rise in communicable and noncommunicable diseases effectively. We cannot promote healthy lives for all.
WHO is trying to turn the tide. Fostering cooperation among countries. Enhancing training. Making sure that all health professionals are protected and valued.
Last year, WHO Member States meeting in our Regional Committee called for accelerated action to invest and empower the health workforce.
And now, as WHO Regional Director I am developing a flagship initiative to strengthen the health workforce in the Region. The aim is to build a regional health workforce for the future – one that is agile and prepared to confront a changing public health landscape. We need to look at future scenarios to guide the transformation in health professionals’ education, employment policies and investments.
I count on all WHO Member States and partners to work together to take this agenda forward.
We can create conditions for collaboration and build on the comparative strengths of different partners. We need to address the development of both individuals and institutions.
We must ensure that nurses and midwives are respected, enjoy a conducive working environment and have a more prosperous future.
Ultimately, we will all reap the benefits.
