World Patient Safety Day 2023
September 2023, Egypt – This year, World Patient Safety Day 2023 is being celebrated around the theme “Engaging patients for patient safety”, in recognition of the central role that patients, their families and caregivers play in advancing safe care, reducing harm and preventing avoidable deaths.
With the slogan “Elevate the voice of patients", World Patient Safety Day focuses on patient engagement in health care as a key strategy for delivering people-centred health services, reducing the burden of avoidable harm, strengthening health systems, enhancing health workers’ performance, reducing health care costs, a...
Source: WHO EMRO News - September 13, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
COVID-19 remains a persistent public health threat
COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Afghanistan: Credit: WHO/Zakarya Safari
7 September 2023, Cairo, Egypt – WHO recently designated the Omicron EG.5 lineage as a “variant of interest” and listed other closely monitored variants. It serves as a stark reminder that COVID-19 poses an enduring threat to public health.
Within the Region, 4 countries that share COVID-19-specific reports have detected the EG.5 variant. Other countries have begun to integrate COVID-19 reporting as part of respiratory disease surveillance systems. Vigilance in monitoring the situation remains paramount while this process takes place to transi...
Source: WHO EMRO News - September 7, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
World Suicide Prevention Day 2023
7 September 2023, Cairo — World Suicide Prevention Day is being marked globally today, under the theme “Creating hope through action”.
Suicide is a major public health problem with far-reaching social, emotional and economic consequences. It is the fourth leading cause of death among people between 15 and 29 years old.
Estimates show that more than 700 000 people die due to suicide every year globally. Moreover, for every suicide, there are many more people who attempt suicide.
According to the global report “Suicide Worldwide in 2019: Global Health Estimates”, more than 77% of suicides occur in low- and middl...
Source: WHO EMRO News - September 5, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
FAO, UNICEF, WFP and WHO join efforts to address child malnutrition affecting millions of ...
Amman/Cairo, 29 August 2023 – Today, the regional directors of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in the Near East and North Africa, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) in the Middle East and North Africa and the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region have launched a pioneering framework for regional United Nations nutrition collaboration as part of their collaborative effort to address the pressing issue of malnutrition in the region.
Launched in Cairo, Egypt, this important initiative marks a milestone in the ongoing...
Source: WHO EMRO News - August 29, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Call for nominations to serve on the WHO regional Youth Council
23 August 2023 – Young people are tomorrow’s leaders and today’s agents of change. WHO believes that young people’s voices should be at the heart of decisions that impact the health of people around the world. The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean is thus looking to collaborate with youth organizations and establish a regional Youth Council to scale up the contribution of youth in efforts to promote public health in the Region and create a comprehensive and inclusive WHO youth engagement strategy.
The regional Youth Council will serve as a dynamic network for stakeholders to amplify the voices and ...
Source: WHO EMRO News - August 23, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Call for nominations to serve on the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Youth Council
23 August 2023 – Young people are tomorrow’s leaders and today’s agents of change. WHO believes that young people’s voices should be at the heart of decisions that impact the health of people around the world. The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean is thus looking to collaborate with youth organizations and establish a regional Youth Council to scale up the contribution of youth in efforts to promote public health in the Region and create a comprehensive and inclusive WHO youth engagement strategy.
The regional Youth Council will serve as a dynamic network for stakeholders to amplify the voices and ...
Source: WHO EMRO News - August 23, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
World No Tobacco Day 2023 award
Dr Asmus Hammerich, Director of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, Dr Rana Hajjah, Director of Programme Management, Dr Hani Al Gouhmani, World No Tobacco Day award winner, and Dr Fatimah El-Awa, Regional Adviser for the Tobacco Free Iniative in the WHO Regional Office
23 August 2023, Cairo, Egypt – Every year, the WHO Regional Office recognizes individuals for their accomplishments in the area of tobacco control. Today, the World No Tobacco Day award was presented to Dr Hani Al Gouhmani, former coordinator of the Framework Convention Alliance for supporting nongovernmental organizations in tobacco control...
Source: WHO EMRO News - August 23, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Statement by Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, on the ...
19 August 2023, Cairo, Egypt – On this World Humanitarian Day, we come together to recognize the unwavering dedication and compassion of communities, humanitarian workers, and health care workers who tirelessly serve those in need worldwide.
This year's theme, "No Matter What", resonates deeply as we reflect on the challenges faced by the humanitarians caught in crises and their remarkable efforts to alleviate the suffering of those around them.
This year’s World Humanitarian Day coincides with unprecedented culminating crises and emergencies worldwide and, most significantly, in WHO’s Eastern Mediterra...
Source: WHO EMRO News - August 19, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Afghanistan's health system suffers critical underfunding, calls for donor support
17 August 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new alert calling for increased investment in health care service provision in Afghanistan, particularly in underserved areas that are severely under-resourced and vulnerable due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
After decades of instability, exacerbated by severe drought and natural disasters, Afghanistan is currently facing a prolonged humanitarian crisis, with millions of people living with poor or no access to health and food, putting them at severe risk of malnutrition and disease outbreaks. The revised Afghanistan Humanitarian Respons...
Source: WHO EMRO News - August 17, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
World Humanitarian Day
19 August 2023 – On World Humanitarian Day 2023, join us as we embark on a journey that shines a spotlight on the unwavering spirit of solidarity that unites us all. Today and everyday, we celebrate the individuals across our Region dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of those in need. Please join us in honouring these heroes — representing many more — who inspire us to create a better tomorrow where everyone enjoys better health and well-being, and access to health care is achieved as a basic human right.
Statement by Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, on ...
Source: WHO EMRO News - August 17, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Statement by Principals of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee: After 4 months of war, ...
15 August 2023, NEW YORK/GENEVA/ROME – For 4 gruesome months, the people of Sudan have been engulfed in a war that is destroying their lives and their homeland, and violating their basic human rights.
People have witnessed their loved ones gunned down. Women and girls have been sexually assaulted.
Families have seen their possessions looted and their homes burnt to the ground. People are dying because they cannot access health care services and medicine.
And now, because of the war, Sudan’s children are wasting away for lack of food and nutrition.
Each day the fighting continues, the Sudanese are being robbed ...
Source: WHO EMRO News - August 15, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Strengthening laboratory services in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
The objectives of the meeting are to:
review progress and challenges at the regional and country level in the implementation of the regional “Strategic Framework for Strengthening Health Laboratory Services 2016–2023”.
agree on the way forward for strengthening laboratory services in the Region;
identify the core elements of the next strategy.
At the conclusion of the meeting, attendees will:’
provide an update on the progress of implementation of the “Regional Strategic Framework for
Read more... (Source: WHO EMRO News)
Source: WHO EMRO News - August 10, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Hepatitis medicines are cheaper now. Treat to save lives.
8 August 2023 – World Hepatitis Day is observed each year on 28 July. The slogan of this year’s regional campaign was “Hepatitis medicines are cheaper now. Treat to save lives”.
In WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region, countries/territories have been making slow progress towards testing and treatment targets to eliminate hepatitis as a public health problem by 2030. In 2021, 18 million people were estimated to be living with chronic hepatitis B, 14% of whom were diagnosed and 2% received treatment. In the same year, 12 million people were estimated to be living with chronic hepatitis C, of whom 37% were...
Source: WHO EMRO News - August 8, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
50th country recognized by WHO for eliminating a neglected tropical disease, marking the ...
30 July 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) congratulates Iraq for having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, making it the fifth country in WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region to achieve this milestone.
“The success of Iraq’s national trachoma programme has shown what can be achieved with national leadership and collaboration”, said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Freedom from trachoma will positively impact the lives of the most vulnerable populations now and in the future”.
Iraq established its national trachoma programme in 2012 to coordinate the final domest...
Source: WHO EMRO News - August 1, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
Health needs heighten as Sudan conflict displaces millions of people
Brazzaville/Cairo, 27 July 2023 – The conflict in Sudan that has forced 3.4 million people to flee for safety within the country and across its borders is rapidly intensifying health threats, with cases of infectious diseases and other afflictions reported among the displaced population who have sought refuge in hard-to-reach locations, with limited health services.
Among those uprooted from their homes, nearly 760 000 have sought refuge in neighbouring Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan, where World Health Organization (WHO) and partners are supporting national authorities to provide emerge...
Source: WHO EMRO News - July 27, 2023 Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news
