Seventh meeting of the Regional Subcommittee for Polio Eradication and Outbreaks
28 February 2023

Noting the progress achieved globally in eradicating wild poliovirus transmission since 1988, with virus transmission at the start of 2022 restricted to just two countries – Pakistan and Afghanistan; 

Noting that detection of wild poliovirus cases in both countries is at the lowest levels in history, with five cases reported in Afghanistan and one in Pakistan since January 2021, which presents a unique epidemiological window of opportunity to eradicate wild poliovirus once and for all;

Underscoring that the recent isolation of wild poliovirus from environmental samples in Pakistan and children in Afghanistan confirms continued poliovirus circulation in this joint, cross-border epidemiological block; 

Highlighting that the current favourable epidemiological situation is thanks to sustained commitment by leaders at all levels, notably by political leaders, community and religious leaders, civil society (especially Rotary International and individual Rotarians) and health workers at the forefront; 

Underscoring the resumption of nationwide polio immunization campaigns in Afghanistan in late 2021 after a gap of  more than three years; 

Noting ongoing vaccination coverage gaps in key high-risk areas and among high-risk population groups in both countries, and concerned about the lack of house-to house-vaccination in key polio endemic areas of Afghanistan; 

Recalling that the spread of poliovirus constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern under the International Health Regulations (2005); 

Noting with concern the increasing humanitarian needs, economic crisis, risk of disruption of primary health services through the Sehatmandi Programme and limited hospital care in Afghanistan, all of which can jeopardize the integrity of childhood immunization and polio eradication in the country; 

Noting that UNICEF and WHO have restored Sehatmandi programme and have received financing to sustain delivery of health services through June 2022; 

We, the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Subcommittee on Polio Eradication and Outbreaks:

DECLARE:

1. The ongoing circulation of wild poliovirus in Afghanistan and Pakistan to be a Regional Public Health Emergency; and, 

COMMIT TO: 

2. Enhancing engagement and support by all political, community and civil society leaders and sectors at all levels, needed to fully resolve the afore-declared Regional Public Health Emergency; 

3. Supporting the coordination of activities across borders to ensure synchronized and cross-border response activities, including in Pakistan and Afghanistan. 

REQUEST:  

4. The international donor and development community to provide the much-needed humanitarian relief and financing to sustain and expand health services to the people of Afghanistan; 

5. The sustained and strengthened commitment by all leaders at all levels in Afghanistan and Pakistan, to capitalise on the current epidemiological window of opportunity through intensified eradication efforts, including by continuing to increase access to all children in previously inaccessible areas, implementing area-specific emergency action plans in known under-performing areas and responding to the detection of any new viruses from any source (be it from an acute flaccid paralysis case or environmental sample) as an emergency; 

6. All authorities in Afghanistan to facilitate resumption of house-to-house vaccination in all areas to ensure delivery of vaccine to the youngest and most vulnerable children who are not being reached by mosque-to-mosque only vaccination and who must be vaccinated to capitalize on the current opportunity across both countries, and 

7. The Regional Director to continue his tremendous leadership and support to Afghanistan and Pakistan in their efforts to eradicate polio, including by advocating for all necessary financial and technical support, reviewing progress, plan corrective actions as necessary, and regularly informing Member States of the afore-mentioned and of any eventual further action required, through the World Health Organization Executive Board, World Health Assembly and Regional Committee mechanisms.  

Baghdad, Iraq, 9 February 2023— The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, inaugurated today the health digitalization programme to strengthen the health information system and produce data and information to enable evidence-based decision-making in the health sector.

The initiative aims to achieve betterhealth outcomes in Iraq through ensuring an appropriate allocation of healthcare resources, evaluating the impact of several interventions, and promoting accountability and transparency for good governance.

Today's launch was the culmination of several months of preparation and advocacy for advanced digital health solutions in Iraq. WHO partnered with the Ministry of Health, UNICEF andvarious stakeholders to ensure a successful implementation plan for the project and conducted several training workshops and assessments in preparation for this launch.

"A journey of 1000 miles starts with a step, and today is not only a step forward but the initiation of the health information system reform to achieve the best health status," said Dr Ahmed Zouiten, WHO Representative in Iraq.

"Effective health information systems can provide us with the necessary insight and indications to enhance the population's health, promote the health system, and achieve universal health coverage."

The expanded programme on immunization (EPI) was selected as the initial programme to adopt the District Health Information System (DHIS2) as a digital solution for data collection, analysis and dissemination, with other programmes to be rolled out incrementally during this year.

The Universal Health and Preparedness Review (UHPR), which was conducted in Iraq, identified the health information system strengthening as the most urgent need, as it could produce data and information for evidence and scientific-based decision-making and would contribute to the policy-making process in the health sector reform.

DHIS2 combines the essential tools necessary for health information systems into one open-source and highly configurable software platform. It can be used to produce both aggregated district-based data and real-time case-based information for single purposes, such as health, logistics, or education data, or it can be used to combine and triangulate data from various sources and programs in an integrated system.

Taizz | Sayoun, 22 November 2022 – Participants from WHO’s recent basic and advanced life support trainings in Yemen are taking matters into their own hands to rollout these lifesaving skills to their peers. Among the more than 1200 health workers trained, below are some success stories of health workers playing critical roles in improving delivery of lifesaving care for the Yemeni people. The training was conducted with the World Bank’s support via the Yemen COVID-19 Response Project (YCRP). 

Dr Raef is working in the Al-Jamohoury Hospital Cardiac Centre and is a teacher at Taizz Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. She successfully completed the 9-week national critical care training and recently got an opportunity to train in basic life support and advanced cardiac life support courses (for the first time), under the supervision of master trainers. 

When Dr Raef and her colleague Dr Zahra returned to their governorate, Taizz, they were thinking about how to promote knowledge and skills for a long-term future and sustainability for the next generations. They came up with 4 ways forward:

They convinced the management of Taizz Faculty of Medicine to embed basic life support and advanced cardiac life support into the main curriculum of the ICU and anesthesia module.

Dr Zhara started teaching the theoretical part of basic life support and advanced cardiac life support in Taiz Faculty of Medicine.

Dr Raef delivers the practical part in Al-Jamohoury Hospital Taizz halls and cardiac-ICU for fifth-grade medical students with minimum available tools.

They keep communicating with Taizz governorate health office towards procuring more resources for an effective educational process. 

Dr Nabil participated in the basic life support training of trainers in Aden. He passed the exam aligned with international standards to be a basic life support provider and instructor. Dr Nabil used his skills and knowledge to conduct a basic life support provider course at Sayoun University in Hadramaut Governorate targeting medical college students. In doing so, he complied with international standards as much as possible in a low-resource setting. Dr Nabil will have the chance to be a co-facilitator in WHO Yemen’s basic life support rollout plan.