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Meet the heroes powering our emergency response: Dr Sahar Maklad, Regional Staff doctor, WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region
Episode 6 Dr Sahar Maklad Regional Staff doctor, WHO Eastern Mediterranean RegionI lead the medical team responsible for staff health and well-being across the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. Joining the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean in 2016 marked a new chapter in my journey of humanitarian work. Today, this spans more...
On visit to Afghanistan, WHO Regional Director emphasizes support for health priorities and intercountry collaboration
12 May 2024, Kabul, Afghanistan – WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Hanan Balkhy recently wrapped up a 3-day visit to Kabul, Afghanistan, following her high-level mission to neighbouring Pakistan with the Chair of the Polio Oversight Board and partners from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). In Afghanistan, Dr Balkhy met...
Qatar and WHO prepare new Country Cooperation Strategy
9 May 2024, Doha, Qatar – Yesterday, in Doha, the Ministry of Public Health concluded a 2-day joint workshop with WHO on the Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) 2024–2030. The workshop involved senior officials from the Ministry of Public Health, other relevant ministries and agencies of Qatar, and representatives of WHO, United Nations (UN)...
International days for nurses and midwives 2024
12 May 2024, Cairo, Egypt – Nurses and midwives make up more than half the health workforce in most countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. Today, as we celebrate International Nurses Day 2024, we also reflect on the many challenges faced by nurses in the Region. In the past decade, the density of nurses and midwives has not grown in...
WHO Regional Director Dr Hanan Balkhy concludes her first visit to Pakistan
Islamabad, 7 May, 2024 – WHO's Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr Hanan Balkhy, has concluded her inaugural visit to Pakistan. The comprehensive five-day mission spanned Islamabad, Peshawar and Lahore, and included high-level meetings with government officials, visits to WHO-supported health facilities, and participation in the...
Rafah incursion would substantially increase mortality and morbidity and further weaken an already broken health system
3 May 2024 – WHO is deeply concerned that a full-scale military operation in Rafah could lead to a bloodbath. More than 1.2 million people are currently sheltering in the area, many unable to move anywhere else. A new wave of displacement would exacerbate overcrowding, further limiting access to food, water, health and sanitation services,...
50 years of EPI’s extraordinary impact on global health
24 April 2024, Cairo, Egypt – World Immunization Week this year coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). Such has been the programme’s remarkable impact on global health that the “E” in EPI today stands for “Essential”. Since 1974, this WHO initiative has inspired countries to use vaccines to do...
Opening statement by Director of Programme Management at the World Immunization Week press conference, 29 April 2024
Distinguished guests, esteemed colleagues, and members of the media, We warmly welcome you to this press conference to mark World Immunization Week. This year, the week coincides with a remarkable milestone – 50 years of the Expanded Programme on Immunization, or EPI. When launched in 1974, this WHO initiative started out with a limited series of...
Devising therapeutic patient education on diabetes to improve quality of life
24 April 2024, Cairo, Egypt – A Therapeutic Patient Education Expert Workshop held on 21–22 April made significant advances towards developing a regional curriculum for therapeutic patient education (TPE) on diabetes management. A diverse group of regional and global experts came together at the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean...
WHO Regional Director visits Islamic Republic of Iran to discuss health challenges and strengthen cooperation
25 April 2024, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran – Dr Hanan Balkhy concluded her first official visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran as the new WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, which took place on 12–15 April. She met with officials and partners to discuss WHO’s work on the ground and how to strengthen collaborations and strategic...
