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31 May 2024
Young people are at risk. They are being targeted by the tobacco industry to take up traditional and new tobacco products. The industry is desperate to attract the younger generation. It is using different promotional activities, different products and even false health claims to achieve this purpose.
The most recent data from the Eastern Mediterranean Region are alarming. Some of our Member States have some of the highest rates of tobacco use among adolescents aged 13–15 years in the world. Countries of the Region report smoking rates as high as 42% among boys and 20% among girls.
We must bring these numbers down if the Region is to achieve the global target of a 30% reduction in tobacco use by 2030. That means implementing the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, including through the highest level of MPOWER policies.
World No Tobacco Day is a chance to alert young people to the dangers of tobacco and nicotine products. The industry’s only aim is to keep profits up – whatever the cost in ruined health and lives.
Today, we have a clear message, to governments, young people, nongovernmental organizations, civil society, schools and colleges: let us prioritize the protection
of children and young people. They are the adults of tomorrow and the future of this Region.
7 April 2024
Health is a human right, not a privilege. But all too often, that right is compromised. That’s why WHO has chosen “My health, my right” as the theme for World Health Day 2024.
It is a critical issue in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Our Region is home to 38% of all people in need of humanitarian aid globally.
Conflict and natural disasters are stopping people from getting the quality health care they need.
Urgent action is vital to reduce health inequities, safeguard human rights and prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable.
We are a long way from achieving universal health coverage and other health-related Sustainable Development Goals.
To ensure that everyone can live the healthiest possible life, countries need to invest in strong, inclusive health systems.
And they need to tackle the underlying determinants of health such as poverty, gender inequality and climate change.
WHO will continue working with countries to promote equitable health care and support the health workforce. We want to see a Region where every single person can attain the highest possible standard of health and well-being.
On World Health Day, I call on governments, health care professionals and other partners to recommit to our shared mission.
Together, let us make the right to health a reality for everyone in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
24 March 2024
Today, on World Tuberculosis Day, we commemorate the ongoing efforts to combat this infectious disease, which tragically claims over 1 million lives annually – 7% of which occur in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. Each year, this day serves as a reminder that ending TB is within our reach.
Prevention is indeed better than cure; therefore, preventive treatment is one of the crucial interventions against TB. This intervention, part of primary health care, aims to halt the progression from latent TB infection to active TB disease. A cornerstone of preventive interventions involves screening high-risk groups and providing preventive treatment to individuals, according to WHO guidelines, to reduce the incidence of TB and its associated consequences.
Unfortunately, access to TB preventive treatment remains limited in our Region.
In 2022, only 5% of eligible contacts of TB patients and 8% of people living with HIV received this treatment. Factors such as lack of awareness, insufficient funding, conflicts, and the stigma associated with TB have hindered progress, putting many at unnecessary risk of developing the disease.
Our regional TB action plan commits to increasing TB preventive treatment coverage to at least 60% of eligible individuals, reaching 2 million people annually by 2030.
While ambitious, this goal is achievable.
I urge governments to prioritize national ownership of and commitment to TB prevention. Health care providers must effectively communicate the benefits of TB preventive treatment to eligible individuals. Community organizations can engage local communities to actively participate in TB prevention efforts. Further, donors, partners, the private sector and manufacturers must work together to ensure equitable and sustainable access to TB treatment, leaving no one behind.
Through strong partnerships and collective action, we can expand TB preventive treatment coverage and, ultimately, end TB. Together, we can make this vision
a reality.
