23 September 2012 – On 22 September 2012, the United Kingdom (UK) informed WHO of a case of acute respiratory syndrome with renal failure with travel history to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The case is a previously healthy, 49-year-old male Qatari national that presented with symptoms on 3 September 2012 with travel history to Saudi Arabia prior to...

In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, suicide accounts for an estimated 36 000 deaths annually“Light a candle near a window”, is the call made by the International Association for Suicide Prevention, in collaboration with WHO, on the occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day 2012. It is intended as a message of hope and understanding for those who attempt to...

Prevention and control of NCDs is essential for health and developmentUnder the auspices of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, is organizing an International Conference on Healthy...

Australia’s High Court historic verdict supports tobacco control effortsBuilding on Australia's landmark decision to dismiss the tobacco industry's legal claim against the country’s new restrictive tobacco marketing laws, Dr Ala Alwan, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, urged all governments in the Eastern Mediterranean Region...

Health officials are baffled as they try to identify the cause and a cure for nodding syndromeFor the first time, researchers and scientists from different parts of the world have arrived at a standard case definition for nodding syndrome, previously known as ‘nodding disease’ or ‘head nodding disease’.  Consensus was reached during the first...

A Somali woman hands her severely malnourished child to a medical officer of the African Union Mission in Somalia. Source: UN/Stuart Price.19 August 2012 – World Humanitarian Day is celebrated annually on 19 August to recognize those humanitarian workers who face danger and adversity and to honour those who have lost their lives or been injured...

38 out of 124 public hospitals have been damaged as a result of the ongoing crisisSince the beginning of the unrest in the Syrian Arab Republic, the World Health Organization has been working with the Ministry of Health, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and partners to address the acute and chronic health needs of Syrian populations affected by the...

Dr Ala Alwan, WHO Regional Director, meets with H.E. the President Asif Ali Zardari to discuss some of the challenges facing Pakistan's national polio programmeIn his recent visit to Pakistan, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ala Alwan met H.E. the President Asif Ali Zardari to discuss the progress of, and challenges to,...

Breastfeeding ensures child health and survival1 August 2012 – On the occasion of World Breastfeeding Week and 10 years after the launch of the WHO/UNICEF Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding, the world is looking back to gauge the success of efforts to support all women to optimally feed and care for their infants and young...

Hepatitis is closer than you thinkCairo, 26 July 2012. The second World Hepatitis Day was observed across the world on Saturday, 28 July, with new information highlighting the seriousness of this disease and its widespread distribution regionally and globally.  Despite its staggering toll on health, hepatitis remains a group of diseases that are...