Photo credit: Sigrun Roesel24 December 2012 – As the year draws to an end, WHO reflects on the key public health milestones that have been reached in 2012, including the end of polio transmission in India and meeting the Millennium Development Goal target on drinking water ahead of schedule. Governments made important decisions on combating...

Source: Arab Human Rights Fund9 December 2012 – Four United Nations organizations issued today a joint statement calling for everyone to stand up to the epidemic of violence against women. UN Women, WHO, UNFPA and UNAIDS are fully committed to stopping violence against women and to ensuring the security, safety and dignity of women and girls...

"The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without the distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition." [WHO Constitution] Over the last two decades, the Eastern Mediterranean Region has been undergoing a number of radical social, political and...

Syria's under-five population is being targeted for immunization against polio and measles as part of a national campaign6 December 2012 – A vaccination campaign is under way in the Syrian Arab Republic to immunize children under 5 against polio and measles. The campaign is being implemented by the Ministry of Health with support from the World...

On the occasion of World AIDS Day, 1 December, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean is putting the spotlight on the HIV treatment gap in the Region. The Eastern Mediterranean Region is experiencing the fastest rate of increase of the HIV epidemic in the world. At the same time, it is providing the lowest coverage of HIV...

Violence against women is a violation of their human rights and has to stop25 November 2012 – International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is celebrated annually on 25 November. Violence against women is a major public health problem and a violation of women's human rights. The United Nations defines violence against women as...

17 November 2012 – The World Health Organization (WHO) is deeply concerned about the escalating situation in the Gaza Strip and Israel and its impact on the health and lives of civilian populations in the area. As of noon Saturday 17 November, the Ministry of Health of the Gaza Strip reported that 38 people had been killed: 27 adults, 2 of whom...

Millions of families lose a precious loved one every year due to road traffic accidents18 November 2012 – Celebrated this year on Sunday 18 November, the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2012 carries the theme: Now is the time to learn from the past. An annual global event, the Remembrance Day is marked to pay respect to the...

11 November 2012 – The annual celebration of World Diabetes Day on 14 November is a reminder that diabetes remains one of the most serious and most prevalent chronic health problems in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, threatening lives and overall development in several countries in the Region. Risk factors for diabetes are unhealthy eating habits...

24 October 2012 – Polio eradication partners around the world are marking the first World Polio Day since India was removed from the list of countries with active transmission of wild poliovirus. No polio cases have been reported from India since January 2011. This development has opened up an historic opportunity to complete polio eradication in the...