Certification information by country

Afghanistan

Although Afghanistan is still an endemic country, provisional national documentation reportshave beensubmitted annually since 2005 and discussed during the meetings of theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

National Certification Committee for Afghanistan

Year of establishment:2005

Dr Gholam AramChaired by:

Dr Gholam Aram
Dean Medical Faculty of Hirat
Head of Pediatrics
Hirat
Afghanistan

Bahrain

The National Certification Committee ofBahrain submitted its basic national documentation for certification with data up until the end of 1999. It was accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updateshave beenreceivedfor years 2000–2003 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certificationwas submitted, including 2004 and 2005 data,and was accepted in 2006.

Abridged annual updates and annual updates have been received and accepted for the years 2006–2012.

National Certification Committee for Bahrain

Year of establishment:1994

Chaired since 2010 by:

K_MossaDr Khaireya Mossa Hussain
Director of Public Health Directorate
Ministry of Health
Manama
Bahrain

Previously chaired by:

DrSameer Abdulla Khalfan
Public Health Director – Ministry of Health

Membership ended by:2009

Egypt

The National Certification Committee ofEgypt submitted its basic national documentation for certification with data up until the end of 2006. It was accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updateshave beenreceivedfor years 2007–2008 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certificationwas submitted with data up to 2009 and was accepted in 2010.

Abridged annual updates and annual updates have been received and accepted for the years 2010-2012.

National Certification Committee for Egypt

Year of establishment: 1998

Dr Salah MadkourChaired by:

Dr Salah Madkour
Former Undersecretary for Studies & Research
Ministry of Health
Cairo
Egypt

Djibouti

The National Certification Committee of Djibouti submitted its basic national documentation for certification with data upuntil theend of 2002. Itwas accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updates were received for the years 2003–2006 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certification was submitted, including 2007 and 2008 data, and accepted in 2009.

An abridged annual update for 2009 was received in 2010 and its acceptance was deferred until the National Certification Committee could provide evidence that surveillance had improved to the required level for certification.The abridged annual update for 2010 was not submitted by theNational Certification Committeewho could not guarantee with certainty that Djibouti was polio-free because of weak surveillance. In 2012 an abridged Annual Update for 2011 was submitted by the National Certification Committee covering data of 2010 and 2011, but the National Certification Committee did not conclude in the report that they are confident that Djibouti is polio-free due to shortcomings and weaknesses in surveillance. Accordingly, the Regional Certification Commission did not accept the report and endorsed the recommendations of the National Certification Committee to continue efforts which have already started to improve surveillance. An updated report is expected in 2013.

National Certification Committee for Djibouti

Chaired since 2012 by:
A_AbdiDr Ahmed Abdi Ali
Pediatrician
Balbala Hospital
Djibouti

Previously chaired by:

Dr Ahmed Hassan Boulaleh
Director Health Services
Djiboutian Army
Membership ended by 2012

Dr Ali Barre Matan
Dean of Medical School of Djibouti
Membership ended by 2010

Dr Emma Acina
Pediatrician – Private Sector
Membership ended by 2008

Iraq

The National Certification Committee ofIraq submitted its basic national documentation for certification with data up until the end of 2001. It was accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updateshave beenreceivedfor years 2002–2006 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certificationhas beensubmitted, including 2007 data, and was accepted in 2008.

Abridged annual updates and annual updates have been received and accepted for years 2008–2012.

National Certification Committee for Iraq

Year of establishment:1995

Professor Najim El-din Al-RuznamjiChaired by:

Professor Najim El-din Al-Ruznamji
Pediatrician
President of the Scientific Council of Pediatrics
Iraqi Board of Medical Specialization
Baghdad
Iraq

Islamic Republic of Iran

The National Certification Committee ofIslamic Republic of Iransubmitted its basic national documentation for certification with data up until the end of 2001. It was accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updateshave beenreceivedfor years 2002–2003 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certificationhas beensubmitted, including 2004 and 2005data, and was accepted in 2006.

Abridged annual updates and annual updates have been received and accepted for years 2006–2012.

National Certification Committee for Islamic Republic of Iran

Year of establishment: 1997

Chaired since 2013 by:

Awaiting nomination

Previously chaired by:

Dr Bijan Sadrizadeh
Secretary
Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences
Membership ended by 2013

Jordan

The National Certification Committee ofJordan submitted its basic national documentation for certification with data up until the end of 1999. It was accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updateshave beenreceivedfor years 2000–2003 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certificationhas beensubmitted, including 2004 and 2005 data, and was accepted in 2006.

Abridged annual updates and annual updates have been received and accepted for years 2006–2012.

National Certification Committee for Jordan

Year of establishment: 1994

Professor Najwa Khuri-BulosChaired by:

Professor Najwa Khuri-Bulos
Chair of the Department of Pediatrics
Jordan University Hospital
Amman
Jordan

Kuwait

The National Certification Committee ofKuwait submitted its basic national documentation for certification with data up until the end of 1999. It was accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updateshave beenreceivedfor years 2000–2005 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certificationhas beensubmitted, including 2006 and 2007 data, and was accepted in 2008.

Abridged annual updates and annual updates have been received and accepted for years 2008–2012.

National Certification Committee for Kuwait

Year of establishment: 1996

Dr Fayka Al-Raqam Chaired since 2009 by:

Dr Fayka Al-Raqam
Consultant Pediatrician
Head of Pediatric Department
Al-Sabah NBK Hospital
Kuwait

Previously chaired by:

Dr Ali Youssef Al-Saif
Assistant Undersecretary – Kuwait Ministry of Health
Membership ended by:2008

Lebanon

The National Certification Committee of Lebanon submitted its basic national documentation for certification with data up until the end of 2001. Itwas accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updates were received from Lebanon for the years 2002–2005 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certification was submitted, including 2006 data, and was accepted in 2007.

Abridged annual updates were received and accepted for the years 2007–2008.The abridged annual update for 2009 was received in 2010 and its acceptance was deferred until the National Certification Committee could provide evidence that surveillance had improved to the required level for certification.

Abridged annual updates and annual updates were submitted and accepted foryears 2010-2012.

National Certification Committee for Lebanon

Year of establishment: 1995

Chaired since 2012 by:G_Issa

Dr Ghassan Issa
Pediatrician
Pediatrics Department
Sahel General Hospital & Lebanese University
Beirut
LEBANON

Previously chaired by:

Carlo Akatcherian
Hotel Dieu Hospital and Saint-Joseph University

Membership ended by:2012

Libya

The National Certification Committee of Libya submitted its basic national documentation for certification with data upuntil theend of 2002. Itwas accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updates were received for the years 2003–2005 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certification was submitted, including 2006 data, and was accepted in 2007.

Abridged annual updates and annual updates were received and accepted for the years 2007–2012.

National Certification Committee for Libya

Year of establishment:1995

Dr Majdi KaraChaired by:

Dr Majdi Kara
Consultant Pediatric Neurologist
Tripoli
Libya

Morocco

The National Certification Committee ofMorocco submitted its basic national documentation for certification with data up until the end of 2001. It was accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updateshave beenreceivedfor years 2002–2005 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certificationhas beensubmitted, including 2006 data, and was accepted in 2007.

Abridged annual updates and annual updates have been received and accepted for years 2007–2012.

National Certification Committee for Morocco

Year of establishment:1995

Professor Mohamed YahiaouiChaired by:

Professor Mohamed Yahiaoui
Chef du Service de Neurologie
Hôpital des spécialités

Rabat
Morocco

Oman

The National Certification Committee of Oman submitted its basic national documentation for certification with data up until the end of 1999. It was accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updateshave beenreceivedfor years 2000–2003 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certificationhas beensubmitted, including 2004 and 2005 data, and was accepted in 2006.

Abridged annual updates and annual updates have been received and accepted for the years 2006–2012.

National Certification Committee for Oman

Year of establishment:1995

Dr Seif Salem Al-AbriChaired since 2010 by:

Dr Seif Salem Al-Abri
Director, Department of Medicine
Royal Hospital
Muscat
Oman

Previously chaired by:

Dr Abdulla Al-Riyami
Senior Consultantand Head Department of Medicine – Royal Hospital
Membership ended by: 2009

Pakistan

Although Pakistan is still an endemic country, provisional national documentations reportshave beensubmitted annually since 2004 and discussed during the meetings of theEasternMediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

National Certification Committee for Pakistan

Year of establishment: 2001

Chaired since 2013 by:

Dr Tahir Masood Ahmad
Professor Emeritus
The Children's Hospital
Lahore
Pakistan

Previously chaired by:

Professor Tariq Bhutta
Principal and Professor of Pediatrics (Retd)
Nishtar Medical College
Membership ended by 2013

Occupied Palestinian territory

The National Certification Committee of occupied Palestinian territorysubmitted its basic national documentation for certification with data up to the end of 2005. Itwas accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updates were receivedfor years 2006–2008 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certification with data up to 2009 was accepted in 2010.

Abridged annual updates and annual updates were received and accepted for the years 2010-2012.

National Certification Committee for occupied Palestinian territory

Year of establishment:1996

Dr Mowaffaq AmerChaired since 2005 by:

Dr Mowaffaq Amer
Pediatrician
Tulkarm
West Bank
Occupied Palestinian territory

Previously chaired by:

Dr Anwar Doudin
Neuro Pediatrics – Director of Yamamah Hospital
Membership ended by:2004

Qatar

The National Certification Committee of Qatar submitted its basic national documentation for certification with data up to the end of 2000. Itwas accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updates were received for the years 2001–2003 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certification was submitted, including 2004 and 2005 data, and accepted in 2006.

Abridged annual updates and annual updates were received and accepted for years 2006–2012.

National Certification Committee for Qatar

Year of establishment:1999

Dr Mohd Ahmed M Sh JanahiChaired since 2008 by:

Dr Mohd Ahmed M Sh Janahi
Chairman, Department of Pediatrics
Hammed Medical Corporation
Doha
Qatar



Previously chaired by:

Dr Khalifa Al-Jaber
Assistant Undersecretary Technical Affairs
Ministry of Health State of Qatar
Membership ended by:2005

Dr Ibrahim Abdu Al-Shaar
A/Director Department of Preventive Health
National Health Authority, State of Qatar
Membership ended by:2007

Saudi Arabia

The National Certification Committee of Saudi Arabia submitted its basic national documentation for certification with data up to the end of 1999. Itwas accepted by theEsatern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updates were received for the years 2000–2003 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certification was submitted, including 2004 and 2005 data, and accepted in 2006.

Abridged annual updates and annual updates received and accepted for the years 2006–2012.

National Certification Committee for Saudi Arabia

Year of establishment:1995

G_JamjoomChaired by:

Professor Ghazi Jamjoom
Consultant Virologist
King Abdul Aziz University
Jeddah
Saudi Arabia

Somalia

Somalia submitted its basic national documentation for certification in 2005 with data up to the end of 2004, but due to the outbreak in 2005 the basic national documentation wasre-submitted in 2009two yearsafter the last case. Itwas accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updates were received for the years 2009–2011 and accepted.

National Certification Committeefor Somalia

The National Certification Committee for Somalia has notyetbeen formally established.

Sudan

The National Certification Committee of Sudan submitted its basic national documentation for certification in 2003 with data up to the end of 2002. Itwas accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

An annual update for 2003 was received and accepted, but updates stopped due to the outbreaks.

After the 2004 outbreak revised basic national documentation was accepted in 2006. After thesecond outbreak, that started in 2008, revised basic national documentation, including Sudan and South Sudan was accepted in 2010.

Due to the political changes in Sudan and the official separation between the north and the south,separate annual update reports for 2010,2011 and 2012 were submitted,from the north and from the south, and they were all accepted.

National Certification Committee for Sudan

Year of establishment:

Professor Abdal Rahman Al-KabbashiChaired by:

Professor Abdal Rahman Al-Kabbashi
Head of Department of Community Medicine
Faculty of Medicine
Ahfad University
Omdurman
Sudan



National Certification Committee for South Sudan

Chaired by:R_Gore

Dr Rose Poni Gore
Assistant Professor of Community Medicine
College of Medicine
University of Juba
Juba
South Sudan

Syria

The National Certification Committee of the Syrian Arab Republicsubmitted its basic national documentation for certification with data up to the end of 1999. It was accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updates were received for the years 2000–2005 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certification was submitted, including data up to 2006, and accepted in 2007.

Abridged annual updates and annual updates were received and accepted for the years 2007–2012.

National Certification Committee for the Syrian Arab Republic

Year of establishment:1994

Professor Ahmed Deeb DashashChaired by:

Professor Ahmed Deeb Dashash
Head of Community Medicine Department
Faculty of Medicine
Damascus
Syrian Arab Republic

Tunisia

The National Certification Committee of Tunisia submitted its basic national documentation for certification with data up to the end of 1999. Itwas accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updates were received for the years 2000–2005 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certification was submitted, including data up to 2006, and accepted in 2007.

Abridged annual updates and annual updates were received and accepted for the years 2007–2012.

National Certification Committee for Tunisia

Established Year:1997

Professor Ahmed ZiribiChaired by:

Professor Ahmed Ziribi
Professor of Infectious Disease
La Rabta Hospital
Tunis
Tunisia

United Arab Emirates

The National Certification Committee of United Arab Emirates submitted its basic national documentation for certification with data up to the end of 2000. It was accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission.

Annual updates were received for the years 2001–2003 and were accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certification was submitted, including 2004 and 2005 data, and accepted in 2006.

Abridged annual updates and annual updates received and accepted for the years 2006–2012.

National Certification Committee for United Arab Emirates

Year of establishment:2000

Professor Yousef AbdulrazzaqChaired by:

Professor Yousef Abdulrazzaq
Professor of Pediatrics and Neonatology
Faculty of Medicine and Health Science
United Arab EmiratesUniversity
Al-Ain
United Arab Emirates

Yemen

The National Certification Committee of Yemen submitted its basic national documentation for certification in 2003 with data up to the end of 2002. Itwas accepted by theEastern MediterraneanRegional Certification Commission, but due to the outbreak in Yemen the basic national documentation was resubmitted and accepted in 2008.

An annual update for 2003 was received and accepted, then updates were stopped due to the epidemic. The annual update for 2008 was received three yearsafter the last case and was accepted in 2009. Annual updates were received for the year 2009–2010 and accepted.

Final national documentation for regional certification was submitted in 2012 and Yemen completed phase I of laboratory containment, but due to the significant value of the data that should appear in the final national document the Regional Certification Commission did not accept the report as it did not comprehensively and accurately cover all items expected to be included in the final national document.An updated report with data up to 2012 was submitted in 2013 and accepted.

National Certification Committee for Yemen

Year of establishment: 1996

Professor Ahmed Al-HaddadChaired by:

Professor Ahmed Al-Haddad
Head of Community Medicine Department
Faculty of Medicine
Sana’a University
Sana’a
Yemen