Jerusalem, Cairo, Geneva, 7 April 2025 – On World Health Day, with the theme “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures,” the Gaza Strip continues to be one of the most dangerous places to be a child and where pregnancy is clouded by fear due to ongoing violence, displacement and lack of medical access. Between 18 March and 4…
On World Health Day, marked every year on 7 April, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for global action to ensure access to high-quality health care for women and babies. Though there has been progress in reducing maternal and newborn mortality, the Eastern Mediterranean Region continues to face significant challenges in ensuring the health…
March 2025, Doha, Qatar – WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Hanan Balkhy concluded a successful official visit to Qatar aimed at strengthening collaboration on key health priorities, including health emergencies, climate change, humanitarian response, health workforce development and substance use. The visit marked a significant step in WHO’s deepening partnership with Qatar….
Tuberculosis remains a major public health challenge in the Eastern Mediterranean region, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In 2023 alone, the region recorded 936,000 new TB cases and nearly 86,000 deaths. Every 34 seconds, someone falls ill with tuberculosis, and every six minutes, another life is lost. These deaths are avoidable because TB is…
18 March 2025 Colleagues, members of the press, Good afternoon. Thank you for joining us today. Before I begin my briefing, I would like to mention that the Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal recently launched a two-part series focused on Gaza. The first issue explores the war’s impacts on health, offering scientific evidence, practical recommendations for…
17 March 2025, Kabul, Afghanistan – The World Health Organization (WHO) in Afghanistan is deeply concerned that funding shortages could force the closure of 80% of WHO-supported essential health care services. Millions, including vulnerable populations such as women, children, the elderly, the displaced and returnees, will be left without access to critical medical care. As…
6 March 2025 – “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.” The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, celebrated each year on 8 March, resonates deeply with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) commitment to promote gender equality in the health sector across the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Women are the backbone of the health…
Polio campaign in Gaza Strip reaches around 603 000 children with better access 28 February 2025, Jerusalem/Amman/Geneva – A five-day mass polio vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip concluded on Wednesday, reaching nearly 603 000 children under 10 years of age with novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) following comprehensive, simultaneous access to all five…
5 March 2025, Cairo, Egypt – In 2024, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean celebrated 10 years of collaboration supporting cancer surveillance. The IARC-WHO Regional Office partnership has ensured a decade of progress in the development of sustainable and high-quality cancer…
On the occasion of Obesity Day, 4 March 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for urgent action to tackle the growing obesity problem which is now recognized as one of the most significant public health challenges of our time. This year’s theme, Building a healthy future: tackling obesity through prevention and care, serves…
