Select your language
Statement by WHO's Regional Director on the occasion of hajj 2023
26 June 2023 – In just a few hours’ time, the hajj season for 2023 (1444 H) will begin. Millions of Muslims from every corner of the world are coming to Makkah. This year is of great significance as hajj is back to regular practice, with higher numbers of pilgrims expected after 3 years of special measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Continuing our strong and...
WHO welcomes the support of Member States and partners to the humanitarian response in Sudan and the Region
Cairo, 20 June 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomes the support of Member States and partners to the humanitarian response in Sudan and the Region and urges donors to fulfil their pledges so that the urgent health needs of millions of Sudanese people can be met. A humanitarian crisis is always a health crisis. Two months of...
WHO requires US$ 145 million to respond to health emergency in Sudan and neighbouring countries
Brazzaville, Cairo, 16 June 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) today released a new funding appeal requesting US$ 145 million to meet the increasing health needs of people affected by violence in Sudan and to assist those who have fled to neighbouring countries. This funding will allow WHO to reach 7.6 million people inside Sudan and more...
Message from Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director, on the occasion of World Blood Donor Day 2023
Every year on 14 June, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day. This year’s campaign focuses on patients requiring life-long support with blood transfusion or plasma proteins. The campaign highlights the role that every single person can play, by giving the valuable gift of blood or plasma regularly to ensure a safe and...
WHO condemns the killing of civilians and WHO staff member in a complex hotel attack in Somalia
Mogadishu, 11 June 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) condemns in the strongest possible terms the complex attack on the Pearl Beach Hotel and Restaurant located in the Abdiaziz district of Mogadishu, Somalia, on 9 June 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 16 innocent civilians, including a WHO national staff member. This tragic event...
Out of Sudan: Nadia smiles as only the brave do
Credit: Yasmeen Ali 28 May 2023 – Meeting Nadia (not her real name), one would not guess at first glance that she has just lived through 6 weeks of continuous fear and an intense sense of loss. As with most Sudanese people – who remain inspiringly resilient in the face of numerous health emergencies – Nadia masks her suffering behind a radiant...
“We either leave or die” a Sudanese migrant recently arrived in Egypt told WHO
According to the Egyptian authorities, as of 19 May 2023, nearly 132 000 people have crossed the border from Sudan into Egypt, with Sudanese migrants representing 91% of this population. Credit: WHO/Egypt Cairo, 24 May 2023 – Over 248 000 people have crossed the border from Sudan into neighbouring Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan, to flee...
Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly to focus on “saving lives, driving health for all” as WHO turns 75
19 May 2023, Geneva – As the world faces ongoing health and humanitarian emergencies, the Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly will focus on driving forward health for all. This year’s session of the World Health Assembly will determine the immediate and longer-term future of WHO, starting with the program budget for the next two years, key...
Regional meeting on integrated disease surveillance in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Cairo, 21 May 2023 – The regional meeting on integrated disease surveillance (IDS) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and workshop on the open-source District Health Information Software (DHIS2) as an electronic platform for IDS was convened by an inter-departmental Technical Working Group on IDS 14–18 May 2023 in Cairo, Egypt. The first regional...
World Family Doctors Day 2023
Family doctors: the heart of health care 17 May 2023, Cairo – On 19 May 2023, WHO joins the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) and Member States in celebrating World Family Doctor Day. Family doctors play a crucial role in promoting the health and well-being of individuals and communities. Their dedication, compassion and expertise make...
