On the first day of the working
session regular session of the 64th Regional Committee of the
Eastern Mediterranean, the Regional Director’s annual report for 2016, health
emergencies and polio eradication were at the core of the discussions.
Dr Mahmoud Fikri, WHO Regional
Director presented the annual report on the work of the Regional Office in
2016. He focused on important milestones achieved in response to the five
strategic priorities and outlined WHO support to health systems strengthening
to achieve universal health coverage. He also drew attention to the new WHO
health emergencies programme, which was expected to bolster WHO’s ability to
respond to emergencies and outbreaks. He then focused on the regional roadmap
that translated his vision into a set of strategic actions to guide WHO’s work
with Member States for 2017?2021. “Our aim is to ensure that WHO continues to
deliver and provide support to countries as one strong WHO and I look forward
to working with you all to realize this vision", Dr. Fikri said.
Through his five-year roadmap, Dr. Fikri
said he aims to increase WHO’s capacity to meet the needs of Member States. The
roadmap was developed around four interrelated pillars that translate the
vision into action to guide WHO’s work: (1) public health priorities, (2)
enabling factors, (3) WHO’s presence in countries, and (4) WHO’s working
environment.
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) were
given special attention during the day’s discussions. Dr. Tedros announced the
establishment of a new High-level global Commission on Noncommunicable Diseases
(NCDs), to be chaired by Dr. Sania Nishtar from Pakistan. Dr Nishtar is a
prominent global advocate for action against NCDs, and former Federal Minister in
the 2013 caretaker government of Pakistan with responsibility for health,
science and technology, information technology and higher education.
An update on polio eradication in
Pakistan and Afghanistan in the
Region highlighted the success of polio supplementary immunization activities
in 2017 in restricting transmission. Ensuring an end to polio transmission in
Pakistan and Afghanistan in the coming low season and transmission in Syrian
Arab Republic remained a challenge.
With the Region experiencing an
unprecedented increase in the magnitude and scale of crises, humanitarian
emergencies were also prominent on the first day’s agenda; the Region more than
50% of global Grade 3 emergencies were in the Region with other countries
experiencing a mix of chronic and acute emergencies. Refugees in the Region now
totalled 15.7 million and 18 million people were internally displaced.
Population movement was overwhelming health systems of host communities and
neighbouring countries, and in some cases, reversing health gains. The high
incidence of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases was impacting global
and regional health security. In response, the WHO Health Emergency Programme
had mobilized US$ 293 million and delivered 920 tons of health supplies but the
funding gap remained at US$ 200 million.
The Dr. A.T. Shousha Foundation
Prize for 2017 was awarded to Dr Yasmin Ahmed Jaffer of Oman, for her
significant contribution to public health in Oman, particularly in the area of
women’s and children’s health. Dr Ahmed Jaffer is currently Senior Consultant
and Advisor in the Directorate-General for Primary Health Care, Oman.
Key topics to be discussed during
the coming days by the Regional Committee include on cancer prevention and
control; women, children and adolescent health; antimicrobial resistance; and
climate change and health.
