Faster progress on nutrition is the focus of regional meeting and new resource
19 September 2023, Amman, Jordan – Today is the first day of the intercountry meeting for nutrition focal points organized by the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. It also marks the launch of the Eastern Mediterranean Region food composition database, a joint initiative by Al-Quds University and the Regional Office. The meeting is...
WHO health supplies arrive in Libya as part of intensified response to devastating floods
WHO supplies arrived in Libya in response to the devastating floods 16 September 2023, Tripoli, Libya – Today, 29 metric tonnes of health supplies arrived in Benghazi, Libya, from the WHO Global Logistics Hub in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With enough supplies to reach almost 250,000 people with health aid, the shipment reflects an intensified...
World Patient Safety Day 2023
September 2023, Egypt – This year, World Patient Safety Day 2023 is being celebrated around the theme “Engaging patients for patient safety”, in recognition of the central role that patients, their families and caregivers play in advancing safe care, reducing harm and preventing avoidable deaths. With the slogan “Elevate the voice of patients", World...
COVID-19 remains a persistent public health threat
COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Afghanistan: Credit: WHO/Zakarya Safari 7 September 2023, Cairo, Egypt – WHO recently designated the Omicron EG.5 lineage as a “variant of interest” and listed other closely monitored variants. It serves as a stark reminder that COVID-19 poses an enduring threat to public health. Within the Region, 4 countries...
World Suicide Prevention Day 2023
7 September 2023, Cairo — World Suicide Prevention Day is being marked globally today, under the theme “Creating hope through action”. Suicide is a major public health problem with far-reaching social, emotional and economic consequences. It is the fourth leading cause of death among people between 15 and 29 years old. Estimates show that more...
FAO, UNICEF, WFP and WHO join efforts to address child malnutrition affecting millions of children in the region
Amman/Cairo, 29 August 2023 – Today, the regional directors of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in the Near East and North Africa, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) in the Middle East and North Africa and the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Eastern Mediterranean...
Call for nominations to serve on the WHO regional Youth Council
Thank you for your interest to join the WHO EMRO Youth Council. The call for nominations is now closed. Applications have been submitted and will be reviewed in the coming weeks. 23 August 2023 – Young people are tomorrow’s leaders and today’s agents of change. WHO believes that young people’s voices should be at the heart of decisions that...
World No Tobacco Day 2023 award
Dr Asmus Hammerich, Director of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, Dr Rana Hajjah, Director of Programme Management, Dr Hani Al Gouhmani, World No Tobacco Day award winner, and Dr Fatimah El-Awa, Regional Adviser for the Tobacco Free Iniative in the WHO Regional Office 23 August 2023, Cairo, Egypt – Every year, the WHO Regional Office...
Statement by Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day 2023
19 August 2023, Cairo, Egypt – On this World Humanitarian Day, we come together to recognize the unwavering dedication and compassion of communities, humanitarian workers, and health care workers who tirelessly serve those in need worldwide. This year's theme, "No Matter What", resonates deeply as we reflect on the challenges faced by the...
Afghanistan's health system suffers critical underfunding, calls for donor support
17 August 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new alert calling for increased investment in health care service provision in Afghanistan, particularly in underserved areas that are severely under-resourced and vulnerable due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis. After decades of instability, exacerbated by severe drought and...









