27 April 2021 – Thank you for joining us today for this special press briefing to mark World Immunization Week. This year, the development and roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines sheds a new light on World Immunization Week. It shows us all in real time just how critical immunization is to control deadly diseases and save lives. Before we talk more about...

25 April 2021, Cairo – On World Malaria Day (25 April) WHO is calling for increased political commitment and investment in malaria prevention and control to reach the zero malaria target, and is urging individuals in malaria-endemic countries to draw the line against malaria by getting tested for both malaria and COVID-19 in case of fever,...

Vaccines bring us closer to a healthier world 22 April 2021 – The last week of April each year we celebrate the World Immunization Week. This year, the celebration amid the COVID-19 pandemic reminds us that vaccines can bring us closer to a healthier, more prosperous world, where no one suffers or dies from a vaccine-preventable disease. "Vaccines...

From UNICEF's Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Ted Chaiban, WHO's Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance's Director of Country Support Pascal Bijleveld AMMAN/CAIRO/GENEVA, 22 April 2021 – “Syria received 256 800 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, the first COVAX...

14 April 2021 - Thank you for joining us again here today, and Ramadan Kareem to all those who are marking this holy month. As mentioned by WHO’s Director General a few days ago, globally we have now seen seven consecutive weeks of increasing cases, and four weeks of increasing deaths. Across the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 12 out of 22...

Dear family, friends, and colleagues in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and around the world, This year, around a billion and a half Muslims worldwide will soon welcome the start of the holy month of Ramadan. One year ago, during the early stages of the pandemic, we found ourselves experiencing Ramadan in a new world. As a result, we found ways...

Tripoli, Libya, 08 April 2021 – Today, the first shipment of COVAX procured COVID-19 vaccine containing 57,600 doses, arrived at Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli. This first batch of vaccines has been earmarked for priority groups in Libya including Health workers in isolation and filtration centers, people above 75 years of age, people with...

7 April 2021, Cairo, Egypt – With the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines to Libya on 5 April 2020, all 22 countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region have now received vaccines to help in the fight against the pandemic. As early as December 2020, some countries began procuring vaccines directly from the manufacturers and launched vaccination...

Tehran, 6 April 2021 – The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as one of the self-financing participant countries of the COVAX Facility, has received the first batch of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines, consisting of 700 800 doses.  The COVAX Facility, is a partnership co-led by Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi,...

April 2021, Cairo – On 7 April 2021, World Health Day will be commemorated globally, under the theme “Together for a fairer, healthier world”. On this occasion, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls for urgent action to eliminate health inequities and mobilize action to attain better health for all and leave no one behind. Inequities have...