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WHO delivers more than 125 tons of medical supplies to Aleppo
Damascus, Syria | 7 January 2014 – Over the past two weeks the World Health Organization (WHO) has delivered two shipments with more than 125 tons of medical equipment and medicines to health providers in Aleppo, Syria – in both government-controlled and in opposition-controlled areas. All shipments contained surgical materials, medicines to treat chronic and infectious diseases, infant incubators, ventilators and intensive care unit (ICU) beds.
The first shipment containing 26 tons of medical supplies to treat more than 55 000 patients was delivered on 24 December to the Aleppo Teaching Hospital. The second shipment containing 80 tons of supplies to treat more than 213 000 patients was delivered to nongovernmental organizations, local health authorities and to the Syrian Red Crescent Society (SRCS) in Aleppo’s contested areas on 3 January. In addition, an estimated 118 000 patients can be treated with another shipment of 20 tons of supplies which were delivered to the Syrian Ministry of Health in Aleppo.
Since the beginning of the crisis in Syria, the health situation has been deteriorating with shortages of medicines and health workers, destruction of health facilities and difficult access to health care. With the substantial damage to pharmaceutical plants, local production of medicines has been reduced by 65%–70%. Prior to March 2011, 90% of medicines in Syria were locally produced. Medicine prices on the black market have risen steeply and are not available to the majority of the population, especially, in the rural areas.
These shipments continue the steady supply of medicine and medical supplies to all sides of the conflict. In 2013, WHO and its partners distributed medical supplies for 4.6 million people, supported mobile health clinics and other service delivery through 36 local nongovernmental organizations and other health partners, trained almost 2500 local health workers on infectious diseases and outbreak response, chemical hazard, surveillance, malnutrition and mental health.
WHO has also established the Early Warning, Alert and Response System (EWARS) to be the front line to detect the earliest signs of a disease outbreak. Detecting an outbreak in the earliest stages is the key to preventing the spread of disease. Currently more than 400 sites are reporting into the system from health facilities around the country.
WHO continues to be concerned about attacks on health facilities and health workers, and urges all parties in the conflict to respect the integrity and neutrality of health facilities. International Humanitarian Law under the Geneva Conventions provides for the protection of health workers, patients and facilities, and all sides of conflict must honour those agreements.
For more information, please contact:
Mr Tarik Jasarevic
WHO Communications Officer
Tel.: +41-22-7915099
Mobile: +41-79-3676214
E-mail:
Iraq scales up efforts to improve maternal and child health in line with Dubai Declaration commitments
18 December, 2013 — The Ministries of Health of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government, together with WHO, UNICEF, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and other health partners launched Iraq's national acceleration plan for maternal and child health on 17 December 2013.
The 3-year acceleration plan delineates cost-effective interventions to be implemented in nine high-burden governorates of Iraq, in line with commitments expressed in the Dubai Declaration, adopted in January 2013. Iraq has made significant progress towards reduction of maternal mortality and if the same trend continues it will be able to achieve the targets set for Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 by 2015. However, the country will need to exert more intensive efforts in order to make a significant reduction in under-5 mortality and achieve the targets set for MDG 4.
The high-level gathering, led by the Senior Deputy Minister of Health Dr Issam Nameq, brought together officials from the Government, academia, representatives of the health and environment committee of the Iraqi parliament, representatives of civil society, WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, as well as the country’s diplomatic community, to highlight their commitment to investing resources and working towards successful implementation of the plan.
WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ala Alwan, together with the country representatives of UNFPA and UNICEF, reaffirmed their commitment as they presented the plan which has been developed to accelerate the implementation of evidence-based cost-effective priority health interventions along the continuum of care to improve the health of women and children. The selected interventions represent the most effective interventions and conform to the priorities articulated in the Ministry of Health’s National Health Strategy for 2013—2017.
The 3-year plan was developed after reviewing the evidence generated by various surveys, assessments and the annual statistical reports of the Ministry of Health; a process technically supported by WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA. Priority has been given to those governorates and health districts which have had low coverage of key indicators, especially pertaining to maternal and child health.
The workplan will cover a number of priority areas and aims to improve access to, and quality of, maternal and child health services, enhance the capacity of various cadres of health professionals, establish neonatal surveillance and further strengthen the maternal surveillance system, and raise the awareness of communities of maternal and child health by engaging civil society and parliamentarians in order to ensure the provision of more effective and equitable health services to those populations in greatest need.
Universal health coverage is of crucial importance to save millions of people from illness and poverty
Universal coverage brings the hope of better health and protection from poverty for hundreds of millions of people, especially those in the most vulnerable situationsThe World Health Organization, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of the United Arab Emirates, is holding a regional meeting on accelerating progress towards universal health coverage: global experiences and lessons for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, in Dubai, from 5 to7 December 2013.
Universal health coverage is emerging as a global health priority which is likely to occupy a significant place in any future global development agenda.
Universal health coverage means that all people have access to good quality health care, without running the risk of financial ruin. This means without having to pay from their own pocket excessive amounts that would either limit their spending on other essential services or push them into poverty. Universal health coverage focuses on all types of health service and not just treatment.
