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WHO leaders in the Region convene to boost resilience and effective delivery in countries
23 November 2021, Cairo – After almost three years with no physical meetings together, the WHO representatives in the countries of the Region and senior managers at the Regional Office regrouped for a collaborative retreat, with “Countries at the centre” as the main theme and core objective.
“These retreats serve not only as an appropriate and opportune platform for open discussion and interaction, but also as a pivotal grounding for laying out strategic issues, challenges, and the means to find solutions and implement action points to move forward”, said Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean.
He explained that the development of the proposed action plans was done through a participatory and consultative process to achieve consensus among the participants, and in this regard, he called it a “body of wisdom” for WHO in the Region.
Highlighting the learning curve, experience and wisdom accumulated during the last two years, due to the pandemic and other health challenges, as well as the political contexts in the Region, Dr Al-Mandhari emphasized the need to “move as one body, one family, carrying the same values we have carried for many years,” which continue to be re-emphasized through numerous initiatives, including the process of WHO Transformation. “We need to make sure that we are always moving in the right direction,” he said.
The Regional Director highlighted the significance of the retreat for sharing beneficial ideas and as a way to regroup and readjust WHO Transformation priorities. Given the armed conflicts, economic challenges and dire humanitarian emergencies in the Region, he observed that “we need to be agile, ready to adapt, and to continue moving in the right manner.”
The agenda of the retreat comprised a versatile list of sessions, each equipped with its own set of objectives. A key topic for discussion was the need to establish a collective understanding of the challenges and shortcomings in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the 13th General Programme of Work (GWP13), and the regional Vision 2023, which necessitate an acceleration of progress and increased impact in order to meet WHO’s objectives. This includes: readjusting the "purpose"; a review of the multidimensional positioning, internally and externally, of WHO for greater visibility and impact; and reaffirming WHO as a respectful workplace and environment, preventing and responding to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (PRSEAH), ensuring a zero-tolerance approach continues to be observed on PRSEAH and approving measures for preventive action.
Another vital topic for discussion was strategic and operational planning, with a focus on the country level and on approaches to enhance the quality and coherence of WHO's delivery. This includes WHO’s strategic positioning through the Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS), Common Country Assessment (CCA), and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), as well as operational planning for the Programme Budget 2022-2023 and Country Support Plans (CSP).
Additionally, stress management was highlighted during the retreat as a topic of interest, as participants sought to understand and acknowledge the negative impact of stress on the productivity levels and well-being of staff, and to agree on preventive and supportive stress management measures, especially in the many hardship duty stations.
The WHO representatives in Afghanistan, Lebanon and Yemen, and others, addressed the challenges in conflict-ridden countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, sharing the obstacles that impeded their work and the strategic and operational solutions put in place to support successful delivery amidst these conditions. The participants also discussed the core emergency programme, where the main challenges highlighted included a lack of staff. As well as the various challenges noted, potential responses were also illustrated, including a staff development strategy, increased sustainable funding, and technical training, among other actions. Furthermore, participants also discussed how to better build synergies between the work on emergency preparedness, recovery and response and the work undertaken under universal health coverage and healthier populations, the other two pillars of WHO's strategic approach.
WHO and Egyptian Knowledge Bank sign a memorandum of understanding to share knowledge
Dr Mahmoud Fikri, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, and Dr Tarek Shawky, Minister Of Education and Head of the Egyptian Knowledge Bank , sign memorandum of understanding3 October 2017, Cairo – Dr Mahmoud Fikri, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, met on Tuesday, 3 October 2017, with H.E. Dr Tarek Shawky, Minister of Education and president of the Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB), at the WHO premises in Cairo. The meeting aimed at enhancing collaboration in the field of knowledge sharing and accessibility of information resources.
During the meeting, a memorandum of understanding was dually signed by the Regional Director and H.E Minister of Education. The MOU will grant a free-of-charge access to EKB collection for all WHO regional Office staff (Egyptian and non-Egyptian) from any place within Egypt.
“I am pleased to meet H.E. Dr Tarek Shawky, Minister Of Education and Head of EKB to discuss ways to further strengthening our collaboration in the area of knowledge development and information sharing” said Dr Mahmoud Fikri, “ The establishment of the EKB, the largest knowledge hub that provides on line access to the full text of huge valuable educational and scientific publications worldwide is a great achievement for Egypt”.
“The aim of the EKB is to encourage people to return back to building knowledge and learning through reading by providing rich and accessible content in all fields of knowledge” said Dr Tariq Shawky. “Our aim now is to expand and change from Knowledge to education and to build content in different fields including scientific and mathematic curricula. We are focusing on building the character of younger generation by focusing on ethics, values, identity and culture. We are impressed by the work of WHO and depend on partners like you and the World Bank to support our work,” Dr Shawky added.
The EKB was launched in 2016. After two years of discussions and joint work, WHO Regional Office is now granted access to the online services provided by the Bank. This will assist the staff to reach updated health information on a wider scale free-of–charge and smoothly.
In exchange, WHO will provide access to its HINARI and the WHO Medical Index for the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
WHO Regional Director attends age-friendly cities forum in Sharjah
On behalf of H.H. Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Mohamed bin Saud Al Qasimi, member of the Sharjah Executive Council and Head of Central Finance presents an honorary shield to Dr Mahmoud Fikri, WHO Regional Director during the opening session of the forum 25 September, 2017, Sharjah – Dr Mahmoud Fikri, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, visited the United Arab Emirates to attend the Sixth Elderly Services Forum on its opening day. The forum is taking place from 24 to 25 September 2017 at Al Qasimia University in Sharjah, organized by the Department of Social Services in the Government of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Forum is being held this year under the slogan “Age-Friendly Cities”, and a number of countries in the age-friendly cities network, founded by WHO, are participating. These cities have started to apply the standards expected for age-friendly cities that include 8 important foundations:
- outdoor areas and buildings
- transportation
- housing
- community participation
- social inclusion
- social participation and recruitment
- communications and community support
- medical services.
An age-friendly city or community is a place where people want to grow older, and which fosters healthy and active ageing.
Rapid population ageing and expansion of urban areas are two demographic challenges that the world is currently facing. “WHO’s estimates show that 3 of every 5 persons are expected to live in urban areas by 2030. While the number of cities is increasing all over the world, their habitants are ageing. By 2015, the number of people who are over 60 will be doubled, with an increase from 11% to 22% of the world's population. The ageing population phenomena will be more challenging in rural areas, due to the movement of young people from these areas to cities," Dr Fikri said in his speech during the opening of the forum.
In order to encourage cities to implement initiatives to face these challenges, it is necessary to draw plans and develop policies that contribute to the provision of services, infrastructure and initiatives that can make cities suitable for all age groups, including older people, to live in.
"On this occasion, I would like to congratulate the Sharjah Emirate for having been the first Arab city to join the International Age-Friendly Cities network in September 2016. Services provided to elderly people have improved remarkably as a result of this international initiative, and I am happy to say that Sharjah demonstrates an exemplary model to be followed," noted Dr Fikri.
