Three months of violence in Sudan: Health hanging in the balance
Joint statement by Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, and Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa
23 July 2023 – The relentless fighting that has raged in Sudan since April continues to claim lives, force people from their homes and country, and leave others trapped with limited access to essential services, including health care.
Three months of conflict have left the country facing a catastrophic humanitarian crisis that has spilled into six countries across two WHO regions, with 24 million people in need of humanitarian aid, including 2.6 million people internall...
Source: WHO EMRO News - July 24, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
World Drowning Prevention Day 2023: Anyone can drown, no one should
25 July 2023, Cairo Today is World Drowning Prevention Day, which is celebrated on the 25 July every year.
The slogan of this year’s World Drowning Prevention Day is “Anyone can drown, no one should”. To mark the day, WHO continues to focus on raising awareness on drowning as a public health issue, reminding people of what everyone should do to prevent drowning.
World Drowning Prevention Day was declared on the 28 April 2021 in a United Nations General Assembly resolution. This global event serves as an opportunity to highlight the tragic and profound impact of drowning on families and communities ...
Source: WHO EMRO News - July 24, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
WHO condemns attack on health care facility in Las Canood, Somaliland
Cairo/Mogadishu, 13 July 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) deplores and condemns the latest attack on a health facility in Las Canood, Somaliland on 11 July 2023. As a result of this attack, dozens of people were killed and injured — including health care workers and patients — and 2 ambulances were destroyed.
“WHO extends its sincere condolences to the families of those health care workers who have been killed and injured in this attack. We urge all parties in conflict to respect the neutrality of health care and the obligations of the health community to the duty of care,” said Dr Ahmed Al-...
Source: WHO EMRO News - July 13, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
WHO airlifts additional life-saving supplies to respond to health needs in Sudan
Credit: WHO/Ala Kheir
Cairo, 10 July 2023 – A chartered flight carrying 18 metric tons of life-saving medicines and medical supplies worth US$ 560 000 arrived in Port Sudan for distribution to meet health needs amid the ongoing conflict.
The shipment consists of essential medicines and consumables, diagnostic kits, blood bags, trauma and emergency surgery supplies, and trauma backpacks that will help health workers diagnose and treat patients.
"The ongoing conflict continues to place health at a growing risk, straining already limited resources and making it nearly impossible for people to access...
Source: WHO EMRO News - July 10, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
General health advice and guidelines for pilgrims
27 June 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a list of recommendations that each pilgrim should follow. These recommendations are in line with the health requirements set by the health authorities in Saudi Arabia for pilgrims in the Hajj season this year.
Physical ability, chronic diseases and health education
WHO recommends that authorities at pilgrims’ countries of origin should take into account that a pilgrim should have minimum physical ability for Hajj. It also alerts to the high risk of infectious diseases in older people and those with severe chronic diseases such as ...
Source: WHO EMRO News - June 27, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Statement by WHO's Regional Director on the occasion of hajj 2023
26 June 2023 – In just a few hours’ time, the hajj season for 2023 (1444 H) will begin. Millions of Muslims from every corner of the world are coming to Makkah. This year is of great significance as hajj is back to regular practice, with higher numbers of pilgrims expected after 3 years of special measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Continuing our strong and longstanding partnership, a WHO mission comprising experts from both the WHO Regional Office and our Country Office in Saudi Arabia has been deployed to work closely with the Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia on appropriate public health preparedness meas...
Source: WHO EMRO News - June 26, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
WHO welcomes the support of Member States and partners to the humanitarian response in Sudan ...
Cairo, 20 June 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomes the support of Member States and partners to the humanitarian response in Sudan and the Region and urges donors to fulfil their pledges so that the urgent health needs of millions of Sudanese people can be met. A humanitarian crisis is always a health crisis. Two months of heightened violence have severely impacted the delivery of health care in Sudan, leaving 11 million people across the country in urgent need of health assistance.
WHO welcomes the 72-hour ceasefire that went into effect on the morning of 18 June to last until 21 June, in w...
Source: WHO EMRO News - June 20, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
WHO requires US$ 145 million to respond to health emergency in Sudan and neighbouring countries
Brazzaville, Cairo, 16 June 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) today released a new funding appeal requesting US$ 145 million to meet the increasing health needs of people affected by violence in Sudan and to assist those who have fled to neighbouring countries to seek safety.
This funding will allow WHO to reach 7.6 million people inside Sudan and more than 500 000 individuals forced to flee to neighbouring Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan with lifesaving interventions and delivery of essential health services over the next six months.
“The scale of this health crisis is unprec...
Source: WHO EMRO News - June 16, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Message from Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director, on the occasion of World Blood Donor ...
Every year on 14 June, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day. This year’s campaign focuses on patients requiring life-long support with blood transfusion or plasma proteins. The campaign highlights the role that every single person can play, by giving the valuable gift of blood or plasma regularly to ensure a safe and sustainable supply of blood and blood products for all those in need.
Access to a secure blood supply based on voluntary unpaid donation is vital for all patients, including many requiring life-long and regular transfusions for conditions such as sickle-cell anaemia and thalassaemia. I...
Source: WHO EMRO News - June 13, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
WHO condemns the killing of civilians and WHO staff member in a complex hotel attack in Somalia
Mogadishu, 11 June 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) condemns in the strongest possible terms the complex attack on the Pearl Beach Hotel and Restaurant located in the Abdiaziz district of Mogadishu, Somalia, on 9 June 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 16 innocent civilians, including a WHO national staff member. This tragic event also left more than 10 people injured.
“We are appalled by the tragic loss of life in this senseless attack, including the death of Ms Nasra Hassan, a WHO national female staff member. Nasra, 27 years old, joined the WHO country office in Somalia to support the dr...
Source: WHO EMRO News - June 11, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Out of Sudan: Nadia smiles as only the brave do
Credit: Yasmeen Ali
28 May 2023 – Meeting Nadia (not her real name), one would not guess at first glance that she has just lived through 6 weeks of continuous fear and an intense sense of loss. As with most Sudanese people – who remain inspiringly resilient in the face of numerous health emergencies – Nadia masks her suffering behind a radiant smile and an easygoing attitude.
Although when asked whether everyone she knows is safe she confirms that they are, Nadia’s anguish transpires later in the conversation when she mentions the death of a friend’s wife and brother as armed men opened fire at ...
Source: WHO EMRO News - May 28, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
“We either leave or die” a Sudanese migrant recently arrived in Egypt told WHO
According to the Egyptian authorities, as of 19 May 2023, nearly 132 000 people have crossed the border from Sudan into Egypt, with Sudanese migrants representing 91% of this population. Credit: WHO/Egypt
Cairo, 24 May 2023 – Over 248 000 people have crossed the border from Sudan into neighbouring Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan, to flee the insecurity resulting from the fighting in the country and lack of access to health services due to repeated armed attacks on health facilities. Below is a brief conversation between WHO and a Sudanese man who, along with his parents and siblings, spent 17 days on the jour...
Source: WHO EMRO News - May 24, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
“We either leave or die” a Sudanese refugee recently arrived in Egypt told WHO
According to the Egyptian authorities, as of 19 May 2023, nearly 132 000 people have crossed the border from Sudan into Egypt, with Sudanese refugees representing 91% of this population. Credit: WHO/Egypt
Cairo, 24 May 2023 – Over 248 000 people have crossed the border from Sudan into neighbouring Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan, to flee the insecurity resulting from the fighting in the country and lack of access to health services due to repeated armed attacks on health facilities. Below is a brief conversation between WHO and a Sudanese man who, along with his parents and siblings, spent 17 days on the jour...
Source: WHO EMRO News - May 24, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly to focus on “saving lives, driving health for all” as ...
19 May 2023, Geneva – As the world faces ongoing health and humanitarian emergencies, the Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly will focus on driving forward health for all.
This year’s session of the World Health Assembly will determine the immediate and longer-term future of WHO, starting with the program budget for the next two years, key decisions about the sustainable financing of the Organization and changes put in place to improve WHO’s processes and accountability. Delegates will also deliberate about the critical role that WHO has in the Global Health Emergency Architecture.
The backdrop to these issues is t...
Source: WHO EMRO News - May 22, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Regional meeting on integrated disease surveillance in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
The objectives of the meeting were to:
update countries on the recent steps taken to support the adoption of IDS;
identify best practices, challenges and lessons learned on the IDS implementation in the Region, including in polio transition;
assess countries against benchmarks for IDS as outlined in the Regional Committee paper;
develop a roadmap of key actions to be taken at the country level and obtain consensus on national IDS coordination and monitoring mechanisms;
ensure IDS strategies are conducted as part of an integrated national health information system (HIS); and
support the strengthening of national elect...
Source: WHO EMRO News - May 21, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
