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WHO regarding the recent raid on Ramallah governmental hospital
The World Health Organization notes with great concern the reports of the raid on the Ramallah Governmental Hospital by the Israeli occupation forces at 2:00 am on 10 July 2008.
Such an incursion on health care service delivery has grave implications, and further complicates the work of the health sector, and medical professionals in particular as they strive to fulfil their mission in an already complex situation. The persisting crisis in the occupied Palestinian territory continues to have a severe impact, not only on the social and economic life of the Palestinian people but also on their health status and access to health care services.
The World Health Organization has repeatedly affirmed the need to guarantee universal coverage of health services and preserve the functions of the health services, regardless of any political considerations or military conflict.
The Organization reminds the occupying power of the necessity to comply with international humanitarian law, and requests it to shoulder its responsibilities in that regard in order to safeguard the right of the Palestinian people to physical and mental health care services. This includes the basic principle laid down in the Constitution of the World Health Organization affirming that “the health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security”.
55th Session of the WHO –EMRO will be held in Cairo, Egypt
The fifty-fifth session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean is scheduled to take place from 11 to 14 October in Cairo, Egypt. This session will be honoured by the attendance of H.R.H. Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco, Chairwoman of the Lalla Salma Association Against Cancer, and WHO Patron for Prevention and Care of Cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, who will deliver opening remarks during the inaugural session.
The Regional Committee is WHO’s governing body in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and comprises the 22 Ministers of Health of the countries of the Region. This year’s session will take place in the context of change and reform currently occurring in WHO and its regions and amidst international and regional developments that affects health.
Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director General, will attend the Regional Committee along with Professor Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College, London.
At the meeting, Dr Hussein A. Gezairy, Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, will present his annual report for 2007, highlighting successes achieved and challenges faced in the pursuit of the Organization’s objective, which is the attainment by all people of the highest possible level of health.
On the agenda of this year’s meeting are progress reports on achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, and tobacco control, highlighting steps that have been taken within the framework of Bloomberg initiative; HIV/AIDS; and integrated vector management. The WHO secretariat will also report on the status of polio eradication efforts especially in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the two Member States where polio virus is still endemic.
Among the technical issues to be discussed are climate change and health security; malaria elimination; the gab between research and policy- making; and nursing and midwifery in the Region. A regional strategy for the prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections will also be presented.
Health systems based on primary health care (the theme of the World Health Report for 2008) will also be discussed, along with the social determinants of health following the recent publication of the report of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health WHO will present an assessment of its performance during2006-2007 and the Members of the Committee will also be invited to review the proposed programme budget for WHO for the period 2010-2011.
Best media coverage of tuberculosis in the WHO-EMRO
The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean is pleased to announce a competition for the best media work addressing tuberculosis in countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Why tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis is still a major public health problem, despite widespread misconception that the disease has nearly disappeared. Around 2 billion people across the world are infected with tuberculosis bacilli. Globally, more than 2 million people die of tuberculosis every year, and an additional 9 million become ill. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, an estimated 560 000 new tuberculosis cases and 110 000 deaths occur annually due to tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis is a curable disease. Its treatment is available and affordable with early detection, and entails taking medicine for at least 6 months. However, with late detection and incomplete treatment, a severe and drug-resistant form of the disease can develop.
Categories for the contest
– Press coverage: reportage, article or interview.
– Television coverage: health programme, talk show or segment.
– Radio coverage: health programme, talk show or segment.
The aim of the contest is to increase awareness of preventive interventions and available treatment for tuberculosis.
Conditions
1. Entries should be published or broadcasted during 2007 or 2008
2. Entries should include information of benefit to the public, such as ways to enhance prevention, control infection or find treatment.
3. Video material should be sent on CDs, DVDs or videotapes. Radio material should be sent on high-resolution audiotapes or CDs.
4. Deadline for receipt of entries is the first week of April 2008.
5. WHO retains the right to use parts of the entries in its own productions with the aim of raising health awareness.
Prizes
a) Press coverage
First prize: US$ 1000
Second prize: US$ 500
b) Television coverage
First prize: US$ 1000
Second prize: US$ 500
c) Radio coverage
First prize: US$ 1000
Second prize: US$ 500
Entries should be sent to the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean in Cairo.
Mailing address: PO Box 7608, Nasr City 11371, Cairo, Egypt
Fax: +20 2 2276 5455
Te: +20 2 2276 5020/21
