28 August 2018, Cairo, Egypt – A ministerial meeting on the road to universal health coverage (UHC) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region will be held in Salalah, Oman, from 3 to 5 September 2018. Hosted by the Government of Oman and organized by the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, the 3-day meeting will bring together ministers of...

23 August 2018, Makkah – An estimated 2.7 million Muslims from 109 countries have safely concluded the annual hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Makkah.   The hajj is one of largest annual religious mass gatherings in the world, but months of preparedness by the Saudi Ministry of Health meant hajj 2018 (1439 H) was celebrated without...

18 August 2018 – As the number of pilgrims participating in the annual hajj has been increasing in recent years, WHO has been providing support to Saudi Arabia to ensure implementation for the first time during the hajj season of an early warning surveillance system to prevent, early detect, and respond to public health threats during the hajj. ...

Statement by Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari. WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean 19 August 2018, Cairo, Egypt - The Eastern Mediterranean Region is witnessing an unprecedented number, magnitude and severity of emergencies, culminating in a major humanitarian tragedy. More than 70 million people are in need of health aid, including 16...

Breastfeeding within an hour of birth is critical for saving newborn lives  6 August 2018 – A new report by UNICEF and WHO reveals that an estimated 78 million babies – or 3 in 5 – are not breastfed within the first hour of life, putting them at higher risk of death and disease and making them less likely to continue breastfeeding. Most of these babies...

Cairo, Egypt, 26 July 2018 — WHO welcomes the generous support of the State of Kuwait through a US$ 59 million contribution to help the people of Yemen obtain greater medical assistance, particularly the most vulnerable — women, children, the injured and people with special needs. “Kuwait funding will provide urgent health assistance to more than 16.4...

19 June 2018 – On World Refugee Day 2018, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean calls for renewed support for the protection and well-being of refugees and other displaced populations, and their right to seek health services with dignity, without discrimination, and without undergoing financial hardship.  Working with national...

12 June 2018, Cairo, Egypt – On the occasion of World Blood Donor Day 2018, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean reiterates that the number of regular, voluntary, non-remunerated blood donations must be greatly increased in countries of the Region in order to ensure a reliable supply of safe blood for patients whose lives depend on...

5 June 2018 – Within a week, 2 record-setting tropical cyclones that formed in the Gulf of Aden made landfall, wreaking widespread havoc in Somalia, Oman and Yemen. The World Health Organization is supporting direct response efforts in Somalia and Yemen, while Oman relies on its preparedness developed in partnership with WHO. On 19 May, cyclone...

4 June 2018 – On 5 June every year, the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations sister agencies and thousands of communities and organizations celebrate World Environment Day. This year, the theme of the Day is “Beat plastic pollution” – a call for action for the world to work together to address one of the great environmental challenges of our...