WHO recognizes for the first time a national influenza centre in Saudi Arabia – a great achievement by the country

WHO and partners organized a workshop to build national rapid response capacities for a timely and effective national response to diseases in Egypt

WHO provided immediate technical support to Pakistan during the devasting floods that affected the country in 2022

WHO built critical care capatices in Yemen through providing a training course for doctors and nurses in a practice centre and intensive care unit

WHO and partners conducted training on influenza and SARS-CoV-2 genetic sequencing in Oman

WHO supported Lebanon to strengthen its cholera epidemiological surveillance to better monitor the outbreak and inform the cholera response


In 2022, countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region faced multiple emergencies, including disease outbreaks, floods and droughts, which posed health risks and affected people’s lives and economies around the Region.


The year witnessed an increasing number of disease outbreaks in the Region. More than 60 outbreaks (other than COVID-19) were reported from 20 countries, the largest number of outbreaks in a year for the last two decades. The outbreaks resulted in more than 7 million cases of infection and more than 1400 associated deaths.

Some countries experienced more than one outbreak, which overwhelmed national capacity to respond. The WHO Regional Office activated the Multi-diseases Outbreak Incident Management Support Team (IMST) to support affected countries through a coordinated multisectoral approach. IMST provided an appropriately tailored response according to the nature of the outbreak and country needs.

WHO also supported countries of the Region by building their capacity to prevent, prepare, detect and respond to the range of diseases and public health threats posed by emerging and epidemic-prone infectious diseases.

The following is an overview of some of the activities carried out by WHO in 2022, in coordination with partners, to support countries in the Region.

In 2023, WHO will continue providing support to the countries of the Region to build their capacities to prevent, prepare, detect and respond to the different diseases and public health threats posed by emerging and epidemic-prone infectious diseases.

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A WHO expert was deployed to Yemen to support the strengthening of surveillance for influenza and respiratory pathogens.

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WHO and partners conducted a technical mission to Morocco to support the country to operationalize the integrated surveillance framework for influenza and other respiratory viruses of epidemic and pandemic potential.

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An EMFLU-2 training of trainers’ workshop was held in Saudi Arabia to enhance the regular reporting of data on influenza and other respiratory viruses.

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WHO experts were deployed to Sudan to train health care professionals in Ebola virus disease case management.

WHO conducted Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever case management training for health care professionals in Iraq.

In 2023, WHO will continue providing support to the countries of the Region to build their capacities to prevent, prepare, detect and respond to the different diseases and public health threats posed by emerging and epidemic-prone infectious diseases.