27 July 2024
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Fifteen children from Gaza to receive urgent medical care in Spain
25 July 2024
Cairo, Copenhagen, Geneva, 24 July 2024—Sixteen people from Gaza with complicated medical conditions will arrive in Spain today to receive care there, through an evacuation process involving the World Health Organization (WHO) and multiple partners. Fifteen of them are children, ranging in age from 3 to 17 years old. The mother of one of the children will also be treated in Spain. The patients had been in hospital in Egypt for the past several months, after evacuating from Gaza. They are a small portion of the thousands of other children and adults who need access to specialized medical care outside of Gaza.
“These very sick children will be getting the care they need thanks to cooperation between several partners and countries,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,Director-General of the WHO. “We are immensely grateful for the support and facilitation provided by Egypt and Spain. We encourage other countries who have the capacity and medical facilities to welcome people who, through no fault of their own, are caught in the grips of this war.”
Thirteen of the children have complex injuries, one has a chronic heart condition, and one is living with cancer. The children, who are accompanied by 25 family members and other caregivers, have been in Egypt since before 6 May, after which evacuations became almost impossible with the closure of the Rafah Crossing. Only 23 people have been evacuated since then, via the Kerem Shalom crossing.
Since October 2023, around 5000 people have been evacuated for treatment outside Gaza, with over
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Breastfeeding support to bring benefits to more babies and mums
24 July 2024
1 August 2024, Cairo, Egypt – Breastfeeding has proven benefits for infants and mums. Yet many women do not breastfeed for as long as they’d like as they lack a supportive environment. This year, the World Breastfeeding Week campaign centres on “Closing the gap: Breastfeeding support for all”.
Breastfeeding is one of the best ways to ensure a child's health and survival. WHO recommends that infants are exclusively breastfed until 6 months of age. But, globally, less than half of infants under 6 months are exclusively breastfed.
In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, only about 35% of infants under 6 months are exclusively breastfed. This means that nearly 2 out of 3 infants are not exclusively breastfed for the recommended 6 months – a rate that has not improved in 2 decades.
The World Breastfeeding Week campaign from 1 to 7 August recognizes breastfeeding mums and shows policy-makers, health workers, families and society how to support mothers to make breastfeeding work.
Breast-milk is the ideal food for infants. It is safe, and clean and contains antibodies that help protect against many common childhood illnesses. Breast-milk provides all the energy and nutrients an infant needs for the first months of life. It continues to meet as much as half or more of a child’s nutritional needs in the second half of the first year, and up to one-third of these needs in the second year of life.
Studies show that breastfed children perform better on intelligence tests, are less likely to be overweight or obese and are
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Marking 50 years of EPI’s life-saving impact
22 July 2024
22 July 2024 – An event to mark the 50th anniversary of the Essential Programme on Immunization (EPI) was hosted by the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean on the evening of 17 July 2024, in Cairo, Egypt.
EPI is a cornerstone of global public health since it came into being in 1974, originally as the Expanded Programme on Immunization. Over the decades, the WHO initiative has saved countless lives and protected millions of children from preventable diseases – earning it the new title of “Essential”*.
A wide range of high-level participants were invited to celebrate the momentous occasion. National managers, advisers and representatives of national immunization programmes from across the Region joined members of United Nations agencies, partner organizations and donors at the event.
In her opening remarks to guests, given on her behalf by Dr Rana Hajjeh, Director of Programme Management, WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean region Dr Hanan Balkhy described EPI as “a great example of what can be achieved to safeguard the health of our communities when we all work together.” She urged continued support from all stakeholders to enhance immunization efforts across the Region to close gaps and at last achieve regional and global EPI targets.
This call to action aligns with the Regional Director’s new regional flagship initiatives and vision to
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WHO Regional Director and Japan's Ambassador to Egypt commit to strengthening partnership for ...
18 July 2024
18 July 2024, Cairo, Egypt – World Health Organization Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr. Hanan Balkhy today met with Ambassador of Japan to Egypt His Excellency Mr. OKA Hiroshi to discuss ongoing and future collaborations between WHO and the Government of Japan.
During the meeting, Dr. Balkhy expressed deep appreciation for the longstanding support from the Government of Japan to WHO's efforts in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
The ongoing $8.3 million donation from Japan to the Ministry of Health and Population in Egypt, facilitated through WHO's Egypt Country Office and the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, was specifically acknowledged. This project serves as the foundation for medical emergency support to hospitals in Egypt affected by the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Additionally, Japan's support of $10 million through WHO for Gaza, in response to the deterioration of the humanitarian situation inside the Gaza Strip, was highlighted.
“WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region faces the highest number of emergencies globally, affecting millions of lives. Japan’s support is crucial for saving lives, alleviating suffering, and addressing urgent needs, particularly in a Region also highly impacted by climate change,” Dr. Balkhy noted. “Our strong, ongoing collaboration has been beneficial, particularly in addressing emergencies, bridging humanitarian and development efforts, and strengthening health systems
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Welcoming remarks by WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Hanan Balkhy for an ...
17 July 2024
Given on her behalf by Dr Rana Hajjeh, Director of Programme Management, WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean.
Cairo, Egypt, 17 July 2024
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is an honour to welcome you all here tonight. The 50th anniversary of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) is truly a momentous occasion.
EPI is a cornerstone of global public health. Over the decades, it has saved countless lives and protected millions of children from preventable diseases.
It is a great example of what can be achieved to safeguard the health of our communities when we all work together.
Tonight, we are not just celebrating EPI’s achievements; we are also recognizing the dedication of the many individuals and stakeholders who have made it a success. National EPI managers. Immunization advisers. Health care workers. Partner organizations. And of course, governments.
All have played their part in this remarkable journey.
New challenges and opportunities lie ahead. We must continue to strengthen our immunization programmes, ensure equitable access to vaccines for all, and address emerging threats. Together, we can build on the legacy of EPI and create a future where every child is protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Thank you once again for joining us. Let us celebrate this milestone and recommit to the vital mission of immunization.
Enjoy your evening!
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Opening remarks by WHO Regional Director Dr Hanan Balkhy at media briefing, 17 July 2024
17 July 2024
Dear colleagues,
Good morning good afternoon,
I’ve just returned from the United Arab Emirates, where I visited WHO’s logistics hub in Dubai. At the time of my visit, WHO staff were preparing supplies to be airlifted to Lebanon and Sudan.
I was impressed at how the logistics hub has significantly expanded its capacity to handle the increased demand for emergency health supplies. In the first six months of 2024 alone, the team has organized 24 charter flights to deliver supplies to 54 countries across all six WHO regions. This compares with 35 flights in the whole of 2023.
I am extremely grateful to the Government of the United Arab Emirates for facilitating WHO’s work and for supporting some of these deliveries by covering transportation costs.
Expanding our health supply chain to increase access to life-saving medicines and supplies is one of my three regional flagship initiatives. But several critical issues continue to impede our response to humanitarian emergencies in WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region.
The first challenge is restrictions on access for humanitarian workers and aid.
Given recent evacuation orders and ongoing hostilities in Gaza, the few health facilities and ambulances that remain functional face massive shortages in fuel and medical supplies. Yet only 16 WHO trucks have been allowed to enter the Gaza Strip in the past four weeks via the Kerem Shalom crossing, where ongoing hostilities, damaged roads, restricted access and a lack of security make the transfer of aid extremely challenging.
Meanwhile, 44 WHO trucks full of health supplies sit at a standstill in Al
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Statement by WHO Regional Director Dr Hanan Balkhy on visit to the occupied Palestinian territory
12 July 2024
11 July 2024, Cairo, Egypt I have just returned from the occupied Palestinian territory, where I visited the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Jenin, and Gaza.
The situation in Gaza is concerning on both a human and humanitarian level. I saw firsthand the scale of devastation: lives and homes in ruins, hospitals overwhelmed, and a fully destroyed city.
Lack of fuel is compromising all health and humanitarian operations.
Running sewage and garbage litter demolished streets, with the smell of fermented waste permeating the air. This situation is providing the perfect breeding ground for diseases to spread, leading to an increase in cases of acute watery diarrhea and acute respiratory infections.
Ongoing violence and the breakdown of law and order are devastating an already crippled city and creating an extremely high-risk environment, not just for aid workers but everyone in Gaza.
The breakdown of law and order also makes it nearly impossible to manage gender-based violence, exposing displaced Palestinians to additional life-threatening risks.
I met with WHO staff in Gaza, many of whom are national staff who have faced personal loss and suffering. Despite these challenges, they continue to risk their lives to deliver fuel and medical supplies to hospitals, and transfer patients to safety and care, striving to overcome delays and obstructions along the way.
As a result of increasing hostilities and soaring needs, WHO has expanded its medical supply chain for Gaza. However, much of this aid remains stuck on the wrong side of
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WHO Steps Up Cross-Regional Efforts for Sudan’s Humanitarian Emergency
11 July 2024
ADRE, CHAD, 10 JULY 2024 – As millions flee war and hunger in Sudan, senior leadership from WHO’s Africa and Eastern Mediterranean Regions converged in Chad, which hosts the largest number of Sudanese refugees, to assess the urgent health needs of people impacted by this complex and deteriorating humanitarian crisis.
The mission aims to optimize WHO operations in Chad, Sudan, and the offices of the African Region (AFRO) and the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO) to serve affected communities with crucial medical care and scale up cross-border operations for humanitarian assistance into the Darfur states of Sudan.
“As WHO’s Representative for Sudan, it is difficult to see this level of suffering among the refugees. They shared stories of violence, loss, and hunger. With the health system severely degraded – all 241 health facilities in Central Darfur have sustained damage – disease spreading, and famine looming, it is increasingly challenging to meet the soaring health needs. If we don’t act with urgency, we will see higher morbidity, mortality, and transgenerational impact of the current conflict,” said Dr. Shible Sahbani.
Hunger is rising at devastating rates. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), the global authority on famine, says Sudan is facing the worst levels of acute food insecurity ever recorded by the IPC in the country. In the last six months, the number of people facing high levels of acute food insecurity has increased
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Interregional meeting: Advancing Universal Health Coverage and Health Security through Private ...
9 July 2024
9 July 2024 – If we are to achieve the health-related targets of the Sustainable Development Goals, we need a paradigm shift, based on a new, more collaborative approach. This must harness the resources of all health actors and ensure that the private sector is also engaged in efforts to achieve public health goals.
On 15–17 July 2024, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean and WHO headquarters will cohost, in Cairo, Egypt, a 3-day interregional meeting on private sector engagement – the first such meeting to be hosted by WHO globally.
The aim is to bring together the global, regional and country levels of the Organization to support the private sector engagement agenda. Participants joining from 5 WHO regions will include representatives of health ministries, partners, donors and the private sector, as well as relevant WHO teams.
The meeting is also a chance to discuss how to leverage the role of the private health sector in the regional flagship initiatives set out by the WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. In particular, the private sector could have an impact on the initiatives to strengthen the health workforce and the supply chain in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Now more than ever, it is also vital to engage the private sector to maintain and provide health services in fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings, given the increasing needs. The number of displaced people in the Region continues to grow as people are forced from their homes by natural disasters, man-made causes and climate change impacts.
The
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Regional Director's statement during the press briefing on emergencies in the Eastern ...
26 June 2024
When we held our first press briefing on health emergencies after I took office about four months ago, I could not have foreseen the escalation of violence in our Region. The situation has grown more relentless and unforgiving, while life-saving aid remains out of reach for too many whose lives depend on it.
In Gaza, the health crisis continues to reach horrifying levels. Over a million people in Rafah have been displaced again since early May. Except for an ICRC field hospital, there are no functioning hospitals left in Rafah. At least 10 000 people are stuck within Gaza in desperate need of medical evacuations, although several countries around the world are ready to offer help. At the recent conference in Jordan on the Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza, I emphasized that our consistent calls for the protection of healthcare and sustained access to aid remain unmet.
In Sudan, 12 million people have been displaced since the conflict escalated in early 2023. In parts of Khartoum, Darfur, and the Kordofan regions, there is an imminent risk of famine as people are still cut off from food and health assistance. Around 2 million people are at high risk of slipping into catastrophic hunger. Health care continues to come under attack. On June 21, the only functioning maternity hospital in El Fasher, North Darfur, was attacked and is only partially functional now.
These are the harrowing realities of our Region, where the politicization of health has left humanitarians facing severe access restrictions and
