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WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region Dr Hanan Balkhy’s statement on her visit to Somalia
10 November 2024 – My first visit to Somalia as Regional Director took place as the country stands at a crossroads. On the one hand, Somalia is reeling from more than 3 decades of conflict and instability, extreme weather events, disease outbreaks and regional fragility. On the other, the country is poised for change. Somalia’s leaders are...
Second round of polio campaign in Gaza completed amid ongoing conflict and attacks: UNICEF and WHO
6 November 2024 – The second round of the polio vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip was completed yesterday, with an overall 556 774 children under the age of 10 being vaccinated with a second dose of polio vaccine, and 448 425 children between 2- to 10-years-old receiving vitamin A, following the three phases conducted in the last weeks. Administrative data...
WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region visits Djibouti
Djibouti is making strides despite the odds. During my visit to the country on 30 – 31 October 2024 I was inspired by the government’s commitment to universal health coverage, even as it grapples with pressures from climate change and migration which place significant strains on health services. Djibouti’s position as a key transit point means it...
Intense bombardments, mass displacements and lack of access in northern Gaza force the postponement of polio vaccination campaign
23 October 2024, Jerusalem/Amman/Geneva- Due to the escalating violence, intense bombardment, mass displacement orders, and lack of assured humanitarian pauses across most of northern Gaza, the Polio Technical Committee for Gaza, including the Palestinian Ministry of Health, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund...
Pink October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October 2024, Cairo, Egypt ̶ Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women globally, accounting for 1 in 6 female deaths. Each year, it accounts for around 25% of all cancers diagnosed in women. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, over 130 000 new cases were reported in 2022, underscoring the urgent need for...
Patients transferred, critical supplies denied as high-risk, on WHO-led joint mission in northern Gaza amid intense hostilities
22 October 2024, Gaza, Cairo, Geneva – On 21 October, 14 patients and 10 caregivers were transferred from Kamal Adwan in North Gaza to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City during a high-risk, WHO-led joint mission, amid intense hostilities and access restrictions. Despite an initial agreement, the delivery of critical medical supplies, blood, and...
Egypt is certified malaria-free by WHO
A total of 44 countries and 1 territory have reached the malaria-free milestone 20 October 2024 | Geneva / Cairo - The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Egypt as ‘malaria-free’, marking a significant public health milestone for a country with more than 100 million inhabitants. The achievement follows a nearly 100-year effort by the...
Regional Director’s special event on the Investment Round, Museum of Islamic Art, Doha
Wednesday, 16 October 2024 Thank you for joining us for this special event. Today we stand at a critical juncture. The next six years will determine whether we succeed in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 3 on good health and well-being – in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and globally. The WHO Investment Round aims to...
RC71 concludes in Doha
17 October 2024, Doha, Qatar – The Seventy-first session of the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean (RC71), held under the theme Health Beyond Borders, concluded today in Qatar. Following 4 days of intense discussions and the exchange of views and experiences between ministers of health and representatives of Member States, partner...
WHO secures an additional US$ 18 million in partner funding
17 October 2024, Doha, Qatar – WHO has secured an additional US$ 18 million in funding commitments from key partners, to complement US$ 18 million already in the pipeline. The pledges, by ATscale – Global Partnership for Assistive Technology and the Hamdard Foundation, and the pledge by the Islamic Development Bank earmarking the Health Impact...
