WHO calls for urgent health action across the Eastern Mediterranean

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is talking on Wednesday to the attending health leaders and senior officials WHO Regional committee meeting is underway in Cairo, Egypt.

“Over the past year, Member States have continued to improve the health and well-being of their people, often in the most difficult conditions,” he said in his remarks to the region’s annual report, which covers 22 countries and territories.

He highlighted a number of achievements, including strengthening the response to non-communicable diseases – such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes – which account for around two-thirds of all deaths in the region, with more than 2.8 million lives lost each year.

Millions of people are displaced, health services are under attack

However, this report is also a reminder that the Eastern Mediterranean continues to face many challenges.

“The region remains at the center of global humanitarian needs, with more than 117 million people in need of humanitarian assistance,” he said. The region is also home to some of the world’s largest displacement crises.

“The conflict continues to affect millions of people in several countries and regions,” he said.

“We continue to see attacks on health services and climate-related shocks continue to place additional pressure on already fragile health systems.”

These developments come amid a sharp decline in international funding for health services and humanitarian operations as well as increasing fiscal constraints at the national level.

“When needs increase, resources actually decrease,” he said.

Investment and preparation

Tedros urged leaders to continue measures that improve health, such as reducing tobacco use and other risk factors for non-communicable diseases and ensuring that all children are vaccinated.

The government must also continue to invest in a strong, fair and resilient health system and in the health workforce.

“Make every primary health facility a place where women can get quality services during pregnancy, where every newborn and child can get a healthy start in life, and where hypertension, diabetes and cancer can be detected and treated early,” he said.

The WHO chief called for protecting health by strengthening preparedness, security and resilience.

“The threats facing the region continue to grow,” he warned, noting that conflicts and outbreaks persist while climate risks continue to rise.

“Preparedness cannot be taken for granted. Preparedness saves lives before an emergency occurs,” he said, underscoring the need for continued investment in surveillance, laboratories, emergency workforce, resilient health facilities and supply chains.