19 February 2023 | Cairo – Oman has launched its 2023 national nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) survey for people aged between 14 and 60 years old. The launch, under the auspices of Undersecretary of Health Affairs, was attended by the WHO Representative in Oman and national stakeholders. The nutrition survey was...

In 2022, Oman took action in combatting trans-fatty acids, when it issued a ban on the production, import and/or marketing of partially hydrogenated oils and food products in which these oils are used. The ban was issued by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and Water Resources, and it came into effect on 24 July 2022. The decision was...

Amman/Cairo | 15 June 2022 | Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Near East and North Africa Region, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) Middle East and North Africa Region are convening a...

The WHO Country Office in Sudan delivering a shipment of essential medicines for inpatient management of wasting in Khartoum. © WHO / Ansari, Aurangzaib Malnutrition in children under five years old and among women has been a public health problem in Sudan for the past three decades, leading to wasting, stunting, increased vulnerability to...

Joint press release by FAO, ESCWA, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO Transforming food systems in the Arab Region is crucial to ending hunger and malnutrition 24 June 2021, Cairo – A United Nations study indicates that hunger in the Arab Region continues to rise, threatening the Region’s efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,...

In 1981, health officials from around the world gathered at the World Health Assembly to address aggressive marketing tactics by the infant and young child feeding industry, which was promoting formula feeding over breastfeeding and causing a dramatic increase in infant morbidity and mortality. The result was the International Code of Marketing of...

From the Regional Directors of UNICEF, FAO, WFP and WHO Amman/Cairo, 27 MAY 2020 “Governments and partners across the Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA) are working around the clock to protect communities from coronavirus disease (COVID-19). While these efforts are saving many lives, they are having a critical impact on food supply chains...

Over the past 10 years Arab State food systems have had a mixed record in reaching the goals of food security and nutrition. Though there has been progress in reducing the number of hungry people, much of this was erased by growing conflict in the Region since 2010. The Region has made tremendous progress in the past three decades in reducing...

The World Health Organization’s Regional Meeting in Sharjah opened alongside the My Health 7th Regional Conference, organized by the Health Promotion Department of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA) and held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al...

In 2017, the Food Fortification Initiative celebrated its 15 year anniversary, where it honoured 15 fortification champions from different sectors and different parts of the world. From WHO's Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh (right), the Regional Adviser for Nutrition, is one of these champions. He claims that...