WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO)

Keep the hope alive. Support health care in emergencies by clicking here: https://bit.ly/405idS5 Hospitals are crumbling under the strain of conflict and climate disasters. Health workers face heartbreaking choices, battling shortages of supplies. But you can make a difference. By contributing to WHO, you help deliver life-saving health care to millions: 🔷15M in Sudan battling diseases, injuries, hunger, displacement and floods 🔷1.5M children in Somalia suffering acute malnutrition, with 4.3M enduring severe food insecurity. 🔷7.8M women and children in Afghanistan at risk of acute malnutrition. 🔷The people of Gaza, who urgently need medical supplies, food, water, and fuel. 🔷Lebanon, where support is needed to restore health care, trauma care, mental health and rehabilitation. 🔷15M in Syria, where half of the hospitals no longer function. 🔷19.6M in Yemen, struggling to access even basic health services. Your contribution supports life-saving interventions for those in the world’s most desperate emergencies. Together, we can keep health care alive.

New research reveals a concerning trend: problematic social media use among adolescents increased between 2018 and 2022. This rise calls for immediate attention from health professionals, educators, and policymakers. Key insights: 👉 Boys report higher levels of problematic gaming than girls 👉 Continuous online contact is highest among 15-year-old girls (44%) 👉 Socioeconomic factors influence digital behaviour patterns As we navigate the digital age, we must promote healthy online engagement, while mitigating risks. We need: ✅ Comprehensive digital literacy programmes ✅ Policies that address problematic use and ensure equitable access ✅ Collaboration between schools, families, and health services Read the full report to gain deeper insights and contribute to this important conversation on adolescent digital health. bit.ly/hbsc-vol6 #adolescenthealth

Yemen bears the highest burden of cholera globally. The country has experienced persistent cholera transmission for many years, including the largest outbreak – between 2017 and 2020 – recorded in recent history. As of 1 December, Yemen had reported 249 900 suspected cases of cholera, with 861 associated deaths since the beginning of the year. This accounts for 35% of the global cholera burden and 18% of global reported mortality. The number of cases and deaths reported in November 2024 are 37% and 27% higher than the same month in 2023. The increase this year is largely due to updated data from Yemen, with adjustments made to account for more detailed information from all governorates. "The outbreak of waterborne diseases like cholera and acute watery diarrhoea imposes an additional burden on an already stressed health system facing multiple disease outbreaks. WHO and humanitarian actors are strained in their efforts to address the increasing needs due to severe funding shortages,” said WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Yemen Dr Arturo Pesigan. “Lack of access to safe drinking water, poor community hygiene practices and limited access to timely treatment further hinder efforts to prevent and control the disease." Addressing cholera in Yemen requires urgent and comprehensive interventions, covering coordination, surveillance, laboratory capacity, case management, community engagement initiatives, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and oral cholera vaccinations. Timely and sufficient funding is necessary for these interventions. In addition, damaged public water and sanitation infrastructures require intensive rehabilitation to prevent a recurrence of the devastating scenario the country experienced between 2017 and 2020. Based on projected incidence carried out in September for the response period between October 2024 and March 2025, the cholera response in Yemen faces a funding gap of US$ 20 million. Between March and the end of November 2024, 47 diarrhoea treatment centres (DTCs) and 234 oral rehydration centres (ORCs) were closed due to lack of funding. Another 17 DTCs and 39 ORCs are set to be closed by the end of 2024 – that is, 84% of DTCs and 62% of ORCs – if additional funding is not provided to health partners.

The holidays can be lonely and stressful. For people with #MentalHealth conditions, these stressors may cause symptoms to get worse. If you’re worried about someone, here’s what you should know:

WHO Flash Appeal for #Syria seeks US$56,355,430 to support Syria’s health emergency response. WHO’s six-month strategy has been drafted to address the immediate health needs emerging from the ongoing crisis, while engaging with the UN system planning efforts, through the health cluster, and the preparation of the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP). WHO will support the Syrian people with a health response incorporating the following components: 🔷 Strengthen and expand life-saving trauma and emergency care, with focus on timely interventions and essential kits and supplies. 🔷 Ensure continuity of essential health services for displaced populations and those in safe areas. 🔷 Strengthen disease surveillance with Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) addressing outbreaks within 24 hours and deploying mobile clinics to underserved areas. 🔷 Coordinate emergency patient referrals to ensure access to necessary treatment and care. 🔷 Strengthen leadership and coordination to ensure effective management of the public health emergency. More here: https://lnkd.in/dr5vr64Y

Lebanon: soaring needs for trauma treatment and rehabilitation Thousands of civilians require reconstructive surgeries and physical rehabilitation. All but one hospital are gradually reopening, while most are not operating at full capacity. The ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities took effect on 27 November, offering temporary relief for the millions of civilians caught in the conflict in Lebanon. But Lebanon’s suffering did not end amid staggering unmet health needs. Bordering Syria and Israel, Lebanon’s overburdened health system is reeling from the impacts of an economic crisis, political deadlock, refugee crisis and now war.   The country is host to 1.5 million Syrian refugees: inevitably, events in Syria impact Lebanon and WHO operations. Syrian nationals are entering Lebanon at the same time as Syrian refugees are returning to Syria from Lebanon.   Since 8 October 2023, more than 4000 people were killed and 17 000 injured in Lebanon alone. Since the ceasefire took hold and conflict-impacted areas have become more accessible, the death toll continued climbing as more bodies are found in the 16 000 buildings that have been partially or completely destroyed, leaving an estimated 8 million tons of debris.   1 in 4 people with life-changing injuries will need long-term rehabilitation and, in some cases, assistive technologies and prosthetics. Specialized support will be required as the technical capacities in Lebanon cannot cope with the increasing numbers of people in need for these services and commodities.   "This need for specialized health care will persist for months and years to come. Lebanon needs reconstructive surgeons to treat the severely injured, eye doctors to treat the thousands of people injured in the pager attack, physiotherapists to start rehabilitating amputees and prosthetists to assist users of assistive devices, " said WHO Representative Dr Abubakar. Ensuring a sufficient number of trained health workers with expertise in war-related trauma and plastic reconstructive surgery is a priority.   Three weeks into an 8-week ceasefire, WHO and the Ministry of Public Health are working on replenishing medical supplies and restoring health services country-wide.     The ongoing WHO operations include scaling up trauma care capacity, training surgeons on specialized trauma care in conflict areas, providing mental health trainings to health workers,  capacity building for rehabilitation in post-conflict settings, replacing damaged equipment, identifying gaps in health coverage, and preparing for future scenarios and the subsequent health impact. WHO also provided 5000 contingency blood bags and reagents to blood banks and developed awareness material on unexploded ordinances and other health risks for first responders and civilians. WHO and the Ministry of Public Health run strong country-wide surveillance for disease outbreaks which pose a heightened risk in post-conflict settings.  

Shape the future of assistive technology! World Health Organization and UNICEF need your input on a global survey to create a shared vision and framework for action. Whether you're a user, policymaker, provider, researcher, designer or advocate, we want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and spread the word! https://lnkd.in/ejQfdmrC #ATChangesLives

We’re excited to share the Operational Approach to Antimicrobial Stewardship in the Eastern Mediterranean Region! This framework supports countries in reducing inappropriate antibiotic use to ultimately improve health outcomes and combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Key goals include: ✅ Improving appropriate antibiotic use. ✅ Strengthening stewardship programmes in hospitals and primary care. ✅ Building capacity, data systems, and regulatory frameworks. Join us in addressing AMR and protecting health for future generations. 📖 Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/dgmtDydK    

في #اليوم_الدولي_للمهاجرين، نُسلّط الضوء على تحدٍ عاجل: الصلة بين تغيُّر المناخ وصحة المهاجرين. وفي إقليم شرق المتوسط، يُجبر ارتفاع درجات الحرارة، وتفاقم الجفاف، والظواهر المناخية القصوى مئات الآلاف على ترك منازلهم. وفي هذا العام، لوحظت موجات نزوح جديدة في البصرة بالعراق بسبب ندرة المياه والجفاف. ويواجه المهاجرون مخاطر صحية شديدة، من الإجهاد الحراري وسوء التغذية إلى الأمراض المُعدية. ولا يمكن إنكار الآثار الصحية لتغير المناخ، فهناك حالة وفاة واحدة من كل أربع وفيات في جميع أنحاء العالم اليوم ترتبط بأسباب بيئية يمكن الوقاية منها، ويضيف تغيُّر المناخ 250000 حالة وفاة كل عام. ماذا يمكننا أن نفعل؟  ✅ إدماج صحة المهاجرين في نُظُم الرعاية الصحية القادرة على الصمود أمام تغير المناخ  ✅ ضمان التغطية الصحية الشاملة حتى يتسنى لجميع المهاجرين الحصول على رعاية صحية عالية الجودة، بغض النظر عن وضعهم  ✅ التعاون فيما بين الحكومات والمنظمات غير الحكومية والمجتمعات المحلية للتصدي لهذه التحديات المزدوجة  ✅ مناصرة سياسات المناخ التي تحمي الفئات الأكثر عُرضة للمخاطر والأشد تأثرًا بها وتعمل منظمة الصحة العالمية والمنظمة الدولية للهجرة ومفوضية الأمم المتحدة لشؤون اللاجئين معًا على مشروع مشترك بعنوان «تسخير أوجه التآزر بين التكيّف مع تَغيُّر المناخ والحد من المخاطر في استجابات النظام الصحي الشامل للمهاجرين، والصندوق الاستئماني المتعدد الشركاء للهجرة، وذلك للعراق والأردن ولبنان. وهذا الأمر لا يقتصر على الأوضاع الراهنة اليوم، بل يتعلق بحماية الأجيال القادمة. فلبنادر بالعمل الآن لإيجاد عالم لا يتخلف فيه أحدٌ عن الرَكب.

In a significant step towards improving access to essential medicines, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean have signed a Memorandum of Arrangement (MoA) to establish a pooled procurement mechanism for public health supplies in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. The agreement, formalized during the 12th Global Management Meeting in Lyon, was signed by PAHO Director Dr Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr and WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Hanan Balkhy. The initiative builds on PAHO’s decades-long experience with Regional Revolving Funds which have been instrumental in enabling equitable access to vital medicines and vaccines at lower prices for Member States in the Americas. "This agreement is a prime example of the power of cross-organizational knowledge transfer and collaboration. It is also an important step in advancing our efforts to improve access to medicines and health technologies in the Eastern Mediterranean," said Dr Balkhy. Under the new agreement, the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean will receive support from PAHO to develop a similar procurement system tailored to the needs of Eastern Mediterranean countries, based on the principles of solidarity, transparency and equitable access. The agreement will facilitate technical cooperation between the two regions, with a focus on sharing best practices, advocacy, capacity building and fostering innovation. Key goals include developing a pooled procurement system, enhancing regional manufacturing and regulatory capacities, and strengthening collaboration through specialized working groups to monitor progress.