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Hospital-based palliative care services bridge the care gap in Lebanon
Initiative Lebanon has a high burden of cancer. In 2018 alone, 17 294 individuals were diagnosed, and 8 976 individuals died of cancer in the country. The high cancer prevalence, combined with an ageing population, re-emphasizes the increasing need for palliative care services in the country. Palliative care services can improve the quality of life for...
COVID-19 vaccines and noncommunicable diseases
© Mustafa Altamimi COVID-19 and NCDs in the Eastern Mediterranean Region As of 27 March 2022, there have been more than 21 million COVID-19 confirmed cases in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, more than 20 million recovered, and more than 340 000 deaths. The case fatality rate is 1.6% and the recovery rate is 96.7% [1]. The COVID-19 pandemic...
WHO is developing a framework for meaningful engagement with people living with noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions
The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean organized a virtual informal consultation with people living with noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions in the Region in coordination with the WHO Global Coordination Mechanism on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases. The...
Afghanistan’s successful deployment of the NCD emergency kit shows the importance of integrating NCD services into primary health care to save lives
Initiative Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are currently causing an estimated 109 000 deaths every year in Afghanistan. In order to address this burden, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health jointly with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners deployed the NCD emergency kit in four primary health care centers in different...
Take action to #beatcancer
4 February 2019 – On World Cancer Day, 4 February, the World Health Organization is calling on communities and individuals alike to show support, raise their collective voices, take personal action and press their governments to do more. Cancer is one of the world’s biggest killers. This theme this year is “I am and I will”, which is all about...
Effective early intervention can prevent premature death from rheumatic heart disease
31 January 2019 – At the Seventy-first World Health Assembly in May 2018, Member States endorsed resolution WHA71.14 on rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. The resolution called for WHO to launch a coordinated global response to rheumatic heart disease. In response, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, in consulatation with...
Urgent action is needed to address chronic diseases and mental health disorders
The World Health Organization Independent High-level Commission on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) released a new report calling for urgent action on NCDs and mental health disorders. High-level political commitment and the immediate scaling up of actions is needed to address these conditions. Noncommunicable diseases are killers NCDs are the...
Diagnose and treat cancer early to save lives
1 February 2017 – In observance of World Cancer Day, 4 February, the World Health Organization recommends that health services focus on diagnosing and treating cancer early, so more people can survive this disease. WHO data indicate that 8.8 million people die from cancer every year. The majority of deaths are in low- and middle-income countries. A key...
Eyes on diabetes
9 November 2016 – The International Diabetes Federation celebrates World Diabetes Day every year on 14 November. This year, the theme for the Day is Eyes on diabetes. The campaign focuses on promoting the importance of screening to ensure early diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes and treatment to reduce the risk of serious complications. One of the most...
WHO is calling on collective and individuals to take action to reduce the burden of cancer
World Cancer Day campaign material by Union for International Cancer Control1 February 2016 – On World Cancer Day, 4 February, the World Health Organization is calling on communities and individuals alike to take action to prevent and control cancer, one of the world’s biggest killers. More than 30% of cancers can be prevented through the...
