World Hepatitis Day is observed each year on 28 July to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver, mostly caused by a viral infection that progresses to severe liver disease and liver cancer. Hepatitis is a major public health problem across the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region, affecting 27...

26 July 2025 – In Lebanon, I stood in the ruins of a bombed-out primary health care centre in the southern suburbs of Beirut. I met mothers doing their utmost to keep their children healthy amid rising prices and dwindling options. And I witnessed the quiet determination of health workers who continue to show up each day to serve their...

Jerusalem, Cairo, Geneva, 27 July 2025 - Malnutrition is on a dangerous trajectory in the Gaza Strip, marked by a spike in deaths in July. Of 74 malnutrition-related deaths in 2025, 63 occurred in July - including 24 children under five, a child over five, and 38 adults. Most of these people were declared dead on arrival at health facilities or died...

24 July 2025,24 July 2025, Cairo, Egypt – World Drowning Prevention Day, a global advocacy event held annually on 25 July, serves as an opportunity to highlight the tragic and profound impact of drowning on families and communities and offer lifesaving solutions to prevent it.   Over the last decade at least 3 million people have lost their lives...

24 July 2025, Cairo, Egypt – On 17 July 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean launched the Regional Coalition for Mental Health and Substance Use Prevention. A webinar held for the launch brought together civil society organizations (CSOs) working on mental health and substance use from across the...

Jerusalem, Cairo, Geneva, 22 July 2025 - WHO condemns in the strongest terms the attacks on a building housing WHO staff in Deir al Balah, in the middle area of Gaza, the mistreatment of those sheltering there, and the destruction of its main warehouse. Following intensified hostilities in Deir al Balah after the latest evacuation order issued by...

20 July 2025, Cairo, Egypt – In her visit to Afghanistan from 29 June to 1 July 2025, WHO Regional Director Dr Hanan Balkhy focused on polio eradication efforts, substance use treatment and other priority areas. Dr Balkhy met with national leaders and partners, including UN representatives and diplomats. In her meeting with the Minister of Public...

17 July 2025, Cairo, Egypt – The Regional Health Alliance (RHA) convenes today to accelerate efforts to improve maternal, newborn and child health and support immunization and polio eradication across the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region. The meeting will gather representatives from nine UN agencies and six priority...

17 July 2025, Cairo, Egypt – Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean joined with mental health partners and stakeholders to launch the Regional Coalition for Mental Health Promotion and Substance Use Prevention. The Coalition will provide a platform to align strategies and maximize collective...

6 July 2025  – Mycetoma is a slow-moving but destructive infectious disease that begins in the subcutaneous tissues and can invade the skin, deep tissues, muscle and bone. Caused by more than 70 microorganisms of bacterial or fungal origin, mycetoma thrives in tropical and subtropical environments where thorn injuries are common. Left untreated,...