Celebrating World Immunization Week 2014 in the Region “Are you up to date?”
Immunization is one of the most successful and cost-effective health interventions and prevents between an estimated two and three million deaths every year in all age groups24–30 April 2014 – Throughout the last week of April, more than 180 countries around the world will be celebrating World Immunization Week. This important initiative has...
Lebanon launches nationwide polio immunization campaign
Officials fear that the risks of under-immunization are not clearly understood by the publicBeirut, 10 April 2014 –As the threat of polio grows across the Eastern Mediterranean Region, the Ministry of Public Health of Lebanon today launched a national polio immunization campaign to prevent polio regaining a foothold in Lebanon after an absence of...
WHO supports provision of vital medicines in Syria with funding from the Government of Kuwait, 9 April 2014
Cairo, 9 April 2014 - The World Health Organization (WHO) has received a contribution of US$ 10 million from the Government of Kuwait to support its activities in Syria as a result of the crisis. This contribution is a continuation of the US$ 35 million support already provided by Kuwait in 2013. “WHO extends its profound gratitude to the...
World Health Day 2014: small bite, big threat
3 April 2014 – The aim of World Health Day 2014 is to raise awareness of the problem of vector-borne diseases and encourage individuals and communities to take action to protect themselves against the vectors that cause disease. Vectors are organisms that transmit pathogens and parasites from one infected person (or animal) to another, putting...
World TB Day 2014: a call to find, treat and cure all TB patients
TB is curable. World TB Day 2014 is a call to find, treat and cure TB18 March 2014 - “Find…treat…cure tuberculosis (TB) patients” is the call of this year’s World TB Day, due to be marked globally on 24 March 2014. Under the slogan ‘Each patient counts’, WHO in the Eastern Mediterranean Region is calling this year for legislation on TB...
International Ear Care Day 2014: avoiding hearing loss
Providing diagnostic procedures with appropriate professional education and affordable hearing aids services worldwide is the most effective and cost-effective way to reduce the burden of hearing impairment2 March 2014 - “Ear care can avoid hearing loss” is the theme for International Ear Care Day 2014. Celebrated on 3 March every year, the Day is...
Polio outbreak response under way to protect children in five highest-risk countries
Mass polio vaccination campaigns are being launched in four countries of the region todayAmman/ Cairo, 2 March 2014– Children in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Syria will be the first of nearly 10 million children across the Middle East to receive a dose of polio vaccine this month. Mass vaccination campaigns were launched in the four countries today,...
Is Zika on our Doorstep?
Three months ago, most people had never heard of the Zika virus. Today, it makes global headlines on a daily basis. Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a ‘public health emergency of international concern,’ marking only the fourth time an outbreak has been given such a designation in WHO’s history. The label is given to...
WHO holds high-level forum on physical activity to reduce risk of noncommunicable diseases in the Region
Is your city encouraging physical activity?Check out how physically active you are 24 February 2014, Dubai – The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of the United Arab Emirates, held a two-day high-level regional forum on a life-course approach to promoting physical activity in Dubai, United Arab...
Medical supplies air-delivered to north-east Syria
WHO supplies arrive at Al Hasakah governorate10 February 2014 – The World Health Organization (WHO) started this week to deliver medicines, vaccine and medical supplies to north-east Syria by chartered flights from the capital Damascus. A first plane, loaded with 40 tonnes of medical supplies, landed on Saturday at Quamishli airport in Al...