WHO condemns attacks on health care in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
22 November 2018 – Despite international laws and UN Security Council resolutions condemning violence against health workers and medical facilities, attacks in the Eastern Mediterranean Region continue with disturbing regularity. More than 534 attacks on health care have been reported across six countries and territories in the Eastern...
Protecting people from the impact of health emergencies
With more than two-thirds of all countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region directly or indirectly affected by political conflict, natural disasters and other public health threats, emergencies is high on this year’s agenda for the 65th session of the Regional Committee. 1 / 8 The region bears a heavy burden: Political conflict, natural...
Health workers and patients in the Eastern Mediterranean Region are #NotATarget
Despite condemnations from WHO and health partners, attacks on health care in the Eastern Mediterranean continue with alarming regularity. On World Humanitarian Day, we reiterate our stand with health workers and all people affected by conflict. 1 / 6 Oum Ali, mother of 5-year old Basma from Ar-Raqqa governorate, Syria, says, “I came from...
Intensive care in Iraq: difference between life or death for 1.5 million people
A doctor attends to a patient in the ICU in Salaheddin hospital (Photo: Mariam Sami/WHO Iraq). Pale and speaking breathlessly, Jenan Sabea describes the horrific pain she felt in her stomach 2 weeks ago which prompted her being rushed to hospital. “I was screaming, crying. I was kicking on the floor, kicking hard,” she says. Jenan called an...
Seven years of suffering: Syria facts and figures
More than 11.3 million Syrians are in need of health assistance, including almost 3 million people living in besieged or hard-to-reach areas. WHO delivered 14 million medical treatments to people in need in 2017, including 3 million treatments delivered cross-border. More than two-thirds of besieged areas were reached with health aid in 2017....
WHO airlifts 200 tonnes of health supplies to Yemen
SANA’A, 18 January 2018 — The World Health Organization has delivered 200 tonnes of life-saving medicines and health supplies to Yemen. Four United Nations planes carrying the cargo landed in Sana’a Airport this week. The shipments include essential medicines, insulin vials, antibiotics, rabies vaccines, intravenous (IV) fluids, and other medical...
Emergencies in the Eastern Mediterranean Region in 2017: the year in review
Syria Intensified fighting in north-east Syria in 2017 led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of vulnerable men, women and children. WHO has worked on all aspects of health services including scaling up its trauma response activities and supporting life-saving services to all people in camps and host communities. WHO also made sure that vaccines...
Beyond the bullets and bombs: Saving the lives of chronic disease patients living in conflict settings
Dr Tasnim Atatrah of WHO Gaziantep checks boxes holding supplies to treat noncommunicable diseases like asthma, diabetes, and hypertension. WHO Gaziantep ships the supplies from Turkey to clinics in northwest Syria. Photo: WHO/Sheahen WHO has developed a new health kit to support treatment for chronic disease patients in emergency settings. Three...
WHO airlifts medical supplies to treat wounded in Islamic Republic of Iran-Iraq earthquake
16 November 2017, Cairo, Egypt – WHO has airlifted trauma kits and medical supplies to the Islamic Republic of Iran to support the treatment of thousands people injured as a result of the recent earthquake in the Islamic Republic of Iran-Iraq border region. The supplies, enough to provide surgical care for up to 4000 trauma patients, were...
Health workers saving lives in the Eastern Mediterranean Region are #NotATarget
18 August 2017 – Despite condemnations from WHO and health partners, attacks on health care in the Eastern Mediterranean have not decreased this year over last. In the first 3 months of 2017, more than 152 attacks on health care were reported from 9 countries in the Region, compared to 57 attacks during the same time in 2016. Behind these...