Jordan combating zoonotic diseases through joint risk assessment tool
Amman, 12 April 2022 – Through the support of the Partnership Contribution mechanism under the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework, a 4-day workshop to promote a joint risk assessment tool to combat zoonotic diseases took place in Jordan from 7 to 10 March 2022. The workshop organized by the WHO country office brought together 37...
WHO extends support to Saudi Arabia in testing upgraded electronic influenza surveillance platform
The pilot testing took place in the two cities of Jazan and Jeddah. Photo: WHO Cairo, 3 April 2022 – WHO’s upgraded influenza platform, EMFLU-2, is being pilot-tested in Saudi Arabia, offering additional functionality for data collection and analysis, including capturing and sharing multi-pathogen laboratory data. Detecting and responding early to...
WHO builds capacity of rapid response team in Iraq with a focus on Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever
“Rapid response teams constitute a pillar in human security and have contributed to containing outbreaks of epidemic- and pandemic-prone diseases in Iraq and beyond," said Dr Ahmed Zouiten, WHO Representative in Iraq. Photo: WHO/ T. El-Maghraby Baghdad, Iraq, 22 March 2022 – The World Health Organization (WHO), in cooperation with the Ministry of...
WHO recommends Saudi Arabia’s public health laboratory for recognition as national influenza centre
Procedures are in place for processing specimens from start to finish. Photo: WHO/A. Barakat Cairo, 16 March 2022 – A WHO mission to Saudi Arabia has found that the country’s public health laboratory operating within the Public Health Authority has fulfilled the requirements for WHO to recommend recognition of the laboratory as a national...
Reviving influenza preparedness and response in Iraq with the support of the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework
WHO supported Iraq to strengthen laboratories’ capacities to test for influenza viruses. Photo: WHOCairo, 23 February 2022 – In recent months, with support provided by WHO under the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework Partnership Contribution mechanism, national sentinel influenza surveillance, preparedness and response system in...
Oman launches WHO collaborating centre for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases
Oman’s Minister of Health presided over the launch of the WHO collaborating centre. Photo: WHO Cairo, 22 February 2022 – Oman’s central public health laboratories have been designated a WHO collaborating centre for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. The official launch took place on 16 February 2022 and was presided over by Dr Ahmed...
Jordan updates its risk communication and community engagement plan for pandemic influenza preparedness
Opening session by Dr Ghazi Faisal Sharkas, Director of Primary Health Care at the Ministry of Health and Dr Chinara Aidyralieva, Coordinator of Public Heath at WHO country office. Photo: WHOCairo, 14 December 2021 – Jordan is currently reviewing and updating its risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) plan for pandemic influenza...
Enhancing pandemic influenza severity assessment capacities in Jordan
During the workshop, participants were able to review and analyse national sentinel surveillance system. Photo: WHOCairo, 4 November 2021 – Detecting and responding early to influenza and other emerging respiratory disease outbreaks can be achieved in Jordan through improved sentinel surveillance systems with proper data collection and analysis...
Building skills of frontline workers through the Early Warning Alert and Response Network
Cairo, 2 November 2021 – The capacities of frontline field workers need to be supported and developed to respond to outbreaks of epidemic- and pandemic-prone diseases effectively and efficiently, and their career paths need to be better defined and sustained by ministries of health and partners to retain their expertise. This was one of the main...
Learning from Saudi Arabia’s COVID-19 response amid its health sector transformation
Testing COVID-19 through RT-PCR by the Public Health Laboratory is one of the significant and ongoing achievements taking place in Saudi Arabia. Photo: WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean Cairo, 31 October 2021 – Strong governance and intersectoral coordination have led to evidence-based decision-making in Saudi Arabia, and there...
