UNHCR and WHO join hands to improve access to health for refugees in Sudan
15 July 2022 – The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and World Health Organization (WHO) signed a letter of understanding on 6 July 2022 to enhance health services for refugees and host communities in Sudan. Building on a 2020 global memorandum of understanding, the agreement enacts the 2 agencies’ first comprehensive partnership in the country beyond the response to emergencies.
Sudan’s fragile health system is buckling under recurrent multiple emergencies, with the current economic crisis further exacerbating health and nutrition conditions for refugees and the communities which host them. Areas in which refuge...
Source: WHO EMRO News - July 14, 2022 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Irish and Norwegian Foreign Ministers visit Bab-al-Hawa border crossing with Northwest Syria
7 July 2022 Two Ministers of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Mr Simon Coveney from Ireland and his Norwegian counterpart, Her Excellency Ms Anniken Huitfeldt, visited Bab-al-Hawa on 15 June 2022 to gain further understanding on the crucial significance of the border crossing in addressing the needs of the Syrians living across the border.
For the last 11 years, 4.5 million Syrians in the northwest region of the country have been living in such extremely precarious conditions that they are completely dependent on the cross-border deliveries of lifesaving food items as well as medicines and supplies. WHO and partners procur...
Source: WHO EMRO News - July 7, 2022 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
USA ambassador to the UN visits Northwest Syria ’s last remaining border crossing
7 July 2022 His Excellency Jeffrey Flake, the United States of America Ambassador to Türkiye, recently escorted Her Excellency Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the USA Ambassador to the United Nations, to the last remaining humanitarian border crossing into Northwest Syria at Bab-al-Hawa. They were received by Mark Cutts, UN Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator, as well as by members of other UN agencies including WHO inside the WFP’s Logistic Cluster’s Hub in Reyhanli, southeast Türkiye.
The ambassadors were shown the importance of the Hub and were explained its vital role in supplying humanitarian relief to the 4.4 mi...
Source: WHO EMRO News - July 7, 2022 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Regional Director ’s statement on Eid Al-Adha 2022
Cairo, 7 July 2022 – In a few days, tens of millions of people around the world will observe Eid Al-Adha, the Muslim festival marking the culmination of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorating the sacrifice of Abraham; I wish us all healthy, happy, and safe celebrations.
In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, this religious occasion comes at a time when countries continue to face major health emergencies, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. More than 100 million people across the Region remain in need of humanitarian aid, including almost 32 million people forcibly displaced.
Millions of people will m...
Source: WHO EMRO News - July 7, 2022 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean delivers monkeypox diagnostic kits to 20 ...
The hand carrying of items was among multiple transportation strategies employed to expedite the dispatch of monkeypox diagnostic kits from WHO’s Dubai Hub to countries of the RegionCairo, 6 July 2022 – In swift response to the global monkeypox outbreak – and true to its vision of “health for all by all: a call for solidarity and action” – the WHO’s Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean has successfully orchestrated the delivery of monkeypox reagents from its logistics hub in Dubai to 20 of the Region’s countries in 11 days.
“With the first signs of the monkeypox outbreak, and with no testin...
Source: WHO EMRO News - July 6, 2022 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
WHO Launches Case Study on Bahrain ’s Response to the COVID-19 pandemic
5 July 2022, Manama, Bahrain --The World Health Organisation launched a case study documenting the Kingdom of Bahrain’s strategic response to the COVID-19 pandemic, showcasing how the country managed to overcome critical challenges through preparedness and early response.
The case study, which was launched during a joint press conference by H.E. Dr Jaleela bint Al-Sayed Jawad Hasan, Minister of Health of Bahrain, and Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, in the presence of a number of officials, presents a detailed view of Bahrain’s COVID-19 response and lessons learned.
The unpre...
Source: WHO EMRO News - July 5, 2022 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
New shipment of WHO health supplies for Afghanistan earthquake response delivered to Kabul from ...
28 June 2022 – A flight containing 25 metric tonnes of WHO health supplies has just landed in Kabul from WHO’s logistics hub in Dubai to support the Afghanistan earthquake response.
The shipment includes enough essential medicines, trauma and surgical supplies, and other critical health supplies for almost 400 000 people in need of health care services, including 1500 trauma patients and 2750 suspected cases of acute watery diarrhoea.
“WHO is grateful for the continued support of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and Ruler of Dubai...
Source: WHO EMRO News - June 28, 2022 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
WHO and IOM discuss diaspora engagement in health and health workforce shortages
Cairo, 28 June 2022 – The World Health Organization (WHO) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) today held a regional dialogue on diaspora engagement in health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. They highlighted the shortage in the health workforce, especially of the most skilled and qualified health professionals, that is being driven by migration in low-income countries in the Region as a result of low wages, poor working conditions and lack of professional development opportunities, instability and security concerns in some countries of the Region.
Such shortages, resulting in a significant lack ...
Source: WHO EMRO News - June 26, 2022 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
WHO scales up health response after Afghanistan earthquake
Cairo/Kabul, 26 June 2022 — Hours after the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan on 22 June that killed more than 800 people, injured 1400 more, and destroyed thousands of homes, WHO sent mobile health teams and ambulances, trauma kits and surgical supplies, medical equipment and other emergency supplies to treat the injured and replenish health supplies for hospitals in the affected provinces of Paktika, Khost and Paktia.
“Every life lost in this latest disaster facing the people of Afghanistan is one life too many. Every life lost represents someone's mother, father, child, friend or neighbour. Our response, and th...
Source: WHO EMRO News - June 26, 2022 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean concludes COVID-19 response review mission to ...
The Research and Knowledge Management pillar member of WHO EMRO’s COVID-19 and other emergencies response review mission to Sudan during a visit to the Central Bureau of Statistics, Khartoum, Sudan, 15 June 2022Cairo, 22 June 2022 – A 10-strong team of multidisciplinary experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean has just returned from a mission to Sudan, where they reviewed the country’s response to COVID-19 and other health emergencies. Leading the six-day mission were Regional Emergency Director Dr Richard Brennan, and WHO Representative in Sudan Dr Ni’ma Saeed ...
Source: WHO EMRO News - June 22, 2022 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Regional Director ’s statement on COVID-19 and monkeypox outbreak
22 June 2022 — Over the past few weeks, reported cases and deaths from COVID-19 continue to decline globally and regionally. Naturally, we feel relieved with this news. But is it really the time to let our guard down? While we observe these encouraging trends, we need to interpret them cautiously.
Many countries have reduced testing and sequencing services. This means that we are not receiving the information needed to analyse the pandemic trajectory precisely. The virus will evolve, and how it will do so is still challenging to predict.
As of 20 June, the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region has reported over 21 890 ...
Source: WHO EMRO News - June 21, 2022 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
World Refugee Day: Everyone has the right to seek safety
20 June 2022, Cairo—Today is World Refugee Day, which focuses on the right to seek safety, including safe borders, not forcing anyone back if doing so would jeopardize their life or freedom and the right to non-discriminatory, humane treatment.
As we mark World Refugee Day 2022, we remember the sacrifice and courage of millions of people who were forced by conflict or natural disasters to leave their homes and countries to safeguard their families and ensure their survival.
It is our duty to ensure that the world’s 26.6 million refugees have access to essential basic services and are treated with respect ...
Source: WHO EMRO News - June 19, 2022 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
FAO, UNICEF, WFP and WHO work jointly to accelerate action on maternal and child undernutrition ...
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 high-level meeting to accelerate action on maternal and child undernutrition. The meeting brings together senior representatives from ministries of health, agriculture, planning, social welfare and education, and a wide range of stakeholders, including academia, research in...
Source: WHO EMRO News - June 16, 2022 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Regional Director's statement on monkeypox
8 June 2022 – Cases of monkeypox in non-endemic countries around the world continue to rise, with 780 confirmed cases reported from 27 countries as of 2 June. No deaths have been reported during the current outbreak. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, a total of 14 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported from 2 countries: 13 cases in the United Arab Emirates and one case in Morocco.
WHO’s Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean is working with health authorities in these 2 countries to manage the current outbreak and prevent further transmission through intensified surveillance and contact tracing, ...
Source: WHO EMRO News - June 8, 2022 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Intercountry consultation on the sustainability of tuberculosis, HIV and malaria programmes in ...
5 June 2022 Countries in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region receiving resources from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria need to start to address the sustainability of their national HIV, tuberculosis and malaria strategies and programmes, regardless of their economic capacity or disease burden.
To facilitate this, WHO is developing a document to help countries in the Region strengthen the sustainability of their HIV, tuberculosis and malaria services and, when ready, prepare for the transition from Global Fund support. The document provides a menu of actions, under different health system components...
Source: WHO EMRO News - June 5, 2022 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
