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Special update on health emergencies presented at the 72nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean
15 October 2025, Cairo, Egypt – A special update on emergencies in the Eastern Mediterranean Region was presented today at the Seventy-second session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean (RC72). The three-day session, which began today in WHO’s Regional Office in Cairo, brings together health ministers and high-level...
Verbal Statement by Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the 72nd Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean
15 October 2025 Your Excellencies, Ministers of Health and Heads of Delegations, Director-General, Ladies and Gentlemen, A warm welcome to you all. Thank you for joining the 72nd session of the Regional Committee—WHO’s highest decision-making body in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. As always, we gather to shape political commitments that...
Opening address by Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the 72nd Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean
15 October 2025 Your Excellencies Ministers of Health and Heads of Delegations, Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to the 72nd Session of the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Many of you have taken part in more Regional Committees than I have; this is only my second. Yet I hope that, even for those who are familiar with the...
Health leaders gather in Cairo for RC72 amid unprecedented global health challenges
14 October 2025, Cairo, Egypt – The Seventy-second session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean (RC72) begins tomorrow, 15 October 2025. Hosted by the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, the event brings together health ministers, policy-makers and regional leaders to address urgent health priorities and...
Opening remarks by Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the High-level gathering “United to End Polio”
14 October 2025 Excellencies, distinguished ministers, esteemed colleagues, partners and friends, It is my pleasure to welcome you all to this high-level gathering, “United to End Polio”, on the eve of the 72nd session of the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean. Polio eradication remains one of WHO’s highest priorities. The progress...
World Mental Health Day: Invisible Wounds Across the Eastern Mediterranean
The mental health burden is especially acute among migrants and refugees, who often have limited access to psychosocial support October 10, 2025– For years, millions of people across the Eastern Mediterranean Region have lived without the certainty of a peaceful tomorrow. On this World Mental Health Day, WHO underscores the heavy toll of...
Tackling substance use across the Eastern Mediterranean Region
13 October 2025 – Substance use affects millions across the Eastern Mediterranean Region, impacting families, communities and health systems. From dependance and mental health conditions to infectious diseases, its consequences are far-reaching for individuals, families and societies. In response to the growing public health challenge across the...
Health Systems Recovery in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Starting Early, Building Stronger
RC72 discusses how to make health system recovery a cost–effective investment to advance equity, performance and sustained peace Cairo, October 13, 2025 — The Eastern Mediterranean Region, as it stands today, will require years of rebuilding in the countries affected by protracted conflict and fragility. For both the people of the Region, who...
WHO calls for urgent action to health systems recovery in emergencies in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
13 October 2025 – Health systems across the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region are under immense strain. As of April 2025, 16 graded emergencies were affecting millions of people in the region, around 115 million people of whom are in urgent need of health services and humanitarian support. From armed conflicts and natural disasters to disease...
Strengthening disease surveillance in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
13 October 2025 – Countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) continue to face persistent challenges in accessing reliable, timely and actionable health data. In many settings, surveillance remains fragmented, uncoordinated, paper-based, disease-specific, and donor-driven—conditions that delay detection and weaken rapid response. Drawing...
