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Integrating antimicrobial stewardship and infection control in primary health care facilities
29 September 2025 – Ahead of the Seventy-second Session of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Committee (RC72), Member States and partners shared their experiences of addressing antimicrobial resistance during a pre-RC72 Virtual Week session. Discussions focused on strategies to implement integrated antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and...
WHO Regional Director Concludes Four-Day Visit to Iraq, Strengthening Partnerships for Health and Resilience
Baghdad/Erbil, 20 September 2025 – The Regional Director for the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region, Dr Hanan Balkhy, concluded a five-day official visit to Iraq, where she met with leaders, health officials and communities in Baghdad, Basra and Erbil to reaffirm WHO’s commitment to advancing health for all people in...
Building resilient communities for better health and well-being
29 September 2025 – In October 2021, the 68th session of the WHO Regional Committee endorsed a resolution on “Building Resilient Communities for Better Health and Well-being in the Eastern Mediterranean Region”. The resolution lays out a roadmap for taking necessary action and establish governance space and platforms for engaging communities and...
Equipping hospital staff in Lebanon with the skills to cope with growing mental health needs
25 September 2025 – Overlapping crises, compounded by the escalation of hostilities in 2023 and the onset of war in 2024, have pushed Lebanon’s health care system to its limits. To address the growing psychosocial needs of patients and the emotional toll on health care workers, a series of training workshops on mental health and psychosocial...
Protecting lives, promoting well-being: Jordan’s progress on NCDs and mental health
25 September 2025 – In Jordan, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) account for nearly 78% of all deaths. Cardiovascular diseases (29%) and cancer (26%) top the list, while diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases contribute to 5% and 2% of deaths. Almost half of these NCD-related deaths occur before the age of 70. The situation is being driven by...
Noncommunicable diseases in Morocco: a growing challenge
Hypertension, diabetes, cancer... these are silent killers. In Morocco, the response is taking shape: innovative policies, awareness campaigns and expanded access to care. 24 September 2025 – Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are one of the most pressing public health challenges in Morocco. They account for nearly 85% of all deaths, including 24%...
NCDs in Qatar: From burden to action
24 September 2025 – Across the world, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have emerged as one of the greatest health challenges of our time. In Qatar, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers and chronic respiratory illnesses account for around 72% of all deaths. Rapid social and lifestyle changes, as well as an ageing population, have led to...
Remarks by Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the Inaugural Meeting of the Joint Coordination Team (JCT): UNGA80 Side Event by the African Union
24 September 2025 Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, It is an honour to join you at this inaugural meeting of the Joint Coordination Team (JCT), on behalf of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. The JCT is an important milestone in advancing the Memorandum of Understanding between the African Union and WHO. It will help strengthen health...
Closing remarks by Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the Revolutionizing care for NCDs: Expanding access through primary health care: UNGA80 Side Event by KSA & Mexico, EMRO & PAHO
Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, Thank you for this insightful discussion. It has been truly inspiring to hear how Mexico has expanded effective coverage of NCD interventions, while Saudi Arabia has invested in strengthening primary health care and advancing digital health solutions. As a national of Saudi Arabia, I have witnessed...
Closing remarks by Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the UNGA80 High Level Side Event on the Global Health and Peace Initiative (GHPI)
23 September 2025 Your Excellency Dr. Hilal Ali Hilal Al Sabti, Minister of Health of the Sultanate of Oman,Dr. Tedros, WHO Director-General,Professor Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Africa Regional Director,Distinguished Colleagues and Friends, The Eastern Mediterranean Region faces immense challenges. Nine of our 22 countries and territories are...
