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The World Health Organization (WHO) Somalia country office, received over 38 metric tons of life-saving medical supplies on 8 November to help support the victims of the twin blasts that shook Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia on 29 October. The International Humanitarian City of Dubai Government and the Government of the United Arab Emirates generously offered a charter flight from WHO’s Dubai Logistics Hub to Mogadishu to transport these medicines and infusions urgently needed to care for victims of the blast and ensure an uninterrupted supply of essential medicines to support emergency medical teams. These supplies are in addition to 39 metric tons of other trauma care supplies that WHO brought it urgently from its Dubai Logistic hub and handed over to the Federal Ministry of Health on 5 November 2022 in the presence of the Minister of Health of Federal Government of Somalia, HE Dr Ali Hadji Adam Abubakar). The twin blasts reportedly took the lives of over 100 people, while critically injuring over 300 more. Immediately after the blasts and in record time, WHO was able to bring in these supplies to Mogadishu, Somalia from its logistic hub in Dubai. These supplies, ideal for trauma care, will be sufficient to treat over 2500 patients with multiple injuries, burns and other blast wounds. These supplies worth US$ 750 000 are life-saving support for Somalia during this difficult time and WHO remains thankful and grateful to the International Humanitarian City, the Dubai Government, His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the Government of the United Arab Emirates for providing this airbridge for transportation of these emergency medical supplies to Mogadishu, Somalia. Expressing his personal gratitude, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, said, “These emergency medical supplies are critically needed to ensure that essential medicines and infusions are available in Mogadishu to care for victims of the blast and prevent further loss of life. Thanks to the support of the Dubai Government, the International Humanitarian City, and the Government of the United Arab Emirates, WHO’s logistics hub in Dubai were able to rapidly respond to this emergency in Somalia as well as to other acute health emergencies around the world to deliver humanitarian aid to those in greatest need, in line with our collective regional vision of “Health for all, by all”.

World Health Organization (WHO) Syria supported the manufaturing of artificila limbs, t o provide the right tools and therapies to people with physical disabilities. Persons with physical disabilities face many challenges, but even more so in a war-ravaged country like Syria,

WHO staff disseminating messages on healthy practices and hygiene measures to control the cholera outbreak and curb the spread of the disease. Since 15 October, World Health Organization (WHO) has been cooperating with different health partners to raise awareness on Cholera diseases in the governorates of Homs, Hama and south Idleb. Messages on healthy practices and hygiene measures were disseminated to control the outbreak and curb the spread of the disease. To date, more than 23 mobile medical teams, including 69 health and community workers, reached more than 11,340 beneficiaries in 150 communities in rural districts and conveyed educational messages on food safety and best hygiene practices to avoid further cholera infections. In late August 2022, a cholera outbreak broke out in Syria. It started in Aleppo and quickly spread to several cities in northeast Syria. As of 23 September 2022, 5,973 suspected cases have been reported in 9 of Syria’s 14 governorates.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) inaugurated 14 oxygen stations across Yemen. This life-saving intervention is the epitome of health systems strengthening and improving its resiliency in Yemen and is the fruit of the strategic partnership between WHO and IsDB. The establishment of the oxygen stations is part of a larger project: “IsDB Group Emergency Support for the COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan in the Republic of Yemen”, which was implemented in collaboration with the country’s Ministry of Health and Population, in close coordination with the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation. Oxygen station equipment at Al-Sadaqah Hospital in Aden governorate.

WHO delegation field visit to Larkana Internally Displaced Person (IDP) clinic . A delegation from World Health Organization (WHO) led by Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme along with WHO Representative in Pakistan, Dr Palitha Mahipala and WHO/EMRO Emergency Director, Dr Richard Brennan visited Pakistan and met with partners and the government to assess the needs and how best WHO can respond. WHO is supporting the Government of Pakistan to respond by delivering supplies needed by health facilities and increasing disease monitoring to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Devastating flash floods have washed away roads, homes and crops in Pakistan. The flooding was brought on by monsoon rains which began in mid-July 2022. The catastrophic floods killed over 1,400 people, destroyed more than half a million homes and displaced over 660,000 people into camps. Many more people are displaced in host communities. More than 750,000 livestock – a critical source of income for many families – died after the rainfall, which in August was more than five times the national 30-year average in some parts of Pakistan. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the floods damaged 1.2 million hectares of agricultural land in Sindh Province alone. Some 33 million people have been affected, and access to many vulnerable communities was cut off as hundreds of bridges and thousands of kilometers of roads were destroyed or washed away. https://www.who.int/news/item/17-09-2022-who-director-general-s-statement-on-pakistan--17-september-2022 - Title of WHO staff and officials reflects their respective position at the time the photo was taken.

World Health Organization (WHO) team visits an Informal settlement for Syrian refugees in the Bekaa region in Lebanon.

Devastating flash floods have washed away roads, homes and crops in Pakistan. The flooding was brought on by monsoon rains which began in mid-July 2022. The floodwaters have passed the Swat valley, leaving an impact deep enough to be felt for a long time. Signs of the damage mark the valley, where homes along the river have been reduced to debris and bridges reduced to piles of rubble, highlighting the insignificance of the structures in the face of the climate's wrath. The catastrophic floods killed over 1,400 people, destroyed more than half a million homes and displaced over 660,000 people into camps. Many more people are displaced in host communities. More than 750,000 livestock – a critical source of income for many families – died after the rainfall, which in August was more than five times the national 30-year average in some parts of Pakistan. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the floods damaged 1.2 million hectares of agricultural land in Sindh Province alone. Some 33 million people have been affected, and access to many vulnerable communities was cut off as hundreds of bridges and thousands of kilometers of roads were destroyed or washed away. WHO is supporting the Government of Pakistan to respond by delivering supplies needed by health facilities and increasing disease monitoring to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. https://www.emro.who.int/media/news/who-inaugurates-an-emergency-operations-centre-and-provides-urgently-needed-essential-medicines-in-swat.html .. https://www.emro.who.int/pak/pakistan-news/pakistans-people-ravaged-by-calamitous-floods.html

Devastating flash floods have washed away roads, homes and crops in Pakistan. The flooding was brought on by monsoon rains which began in mid-July 2022. The catastrophic floods killed over 1,400 people, destroyed more than half a million homes and displaced over 660,000 people into camps. Many more people are displaced in host communities. More than 750,000 livestock – a critical source of income for many families – died after the rainfall, which in August was more than five times the national 30-year average in some parts of Pakistan. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the floods damaged 1.2 million hectares of agricultural land in Sindh Province alone. Some 33 million people have been affected, and access to many vulnerable communities was cut off as hundreds of bridges and thousands of kilometers of roads were destroyed or washed away. WHO is supporting the Government of Pakistan to respond by delivering supplies needed by health facilities and increasing disease monitoring to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. https://www.emro.who.int/pak/pakistan-news/pakistans-people-ravaged-by-calamitous-floods.html

A landscape shot shows an aerial view of Eljale, a camp for internally displaced people (IDP) in Kismayo, Somalia, on 20 April 2022. WHO Somalia continues to collaborate with key partners to provide support to the Federal and State Ministries of Health in Somalia to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to eligible Somalis, wherever they live. Immunizing newly displaced persons from drought, some of parents didn’t seen an immunization program more than 10 years due to the accessibility or insecurity.

A charter with 23 metric tons of medical supplies bound for Libya was loaded from WHO’s Global Logistics Hub in Dubai, UAE. The charter contains WHO trauma and emergency surgery kits (TESK) that provide the supplies and essential medicines to cover the surgical care of more than 12,500 patients. In addition, the flight contained personal protective equipment (PPE) to support the protection of health workers and patients, as well as a full range of quality-assured tuberculosis (TB) products to meet the needs of the TB programme and support local laboratories. Working around the clock over the past 48 hours, the WHO Dubai Global Logistics Hub is orchestrating a massive humanitarian response that is delivering life-saving medicines and supplies to dozens of countries including those hardest hit by ongoing health emergencies including Pakistan, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Libya. Dispatching over USD 1.2 million in health supplies through a series of complex Air Charter operations, the World Health Organization is sending over 123 metric tons of trauma and emergency surgery kits, emergency health kits, essential medicines, water purification supplies, tents, and cholera supplies and equipment. The scale of these operations is sufficient to reach over 1 million people. To date, the WHO/Dubai Hub has delivered over USD 26 million in health supplies across all 6 WHO geographic regions. Currently managing over 100 active emergency requests, the Hub has USD 4.5 million in essential health supplies now under preparation for immediate deployment in response to health emergencies around the world.

Devastating flash floods have washed away roads, homes and crops in Pakistan. The flooding was brought on by monsoon rains which began in mid-July 2022. The catastrophic floods killed over 1,400 people, destroyed more than half a million homes and displaced over 660,000 people into camps. Many more people are displaced in host communities. More than 750,000 livestock – a critical source of income for many families – died after the rainfall, which in August was more than five times the national 30-year average in some parts of Pakistan. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the floods damaged 1.2 million hectares of agricultural land in Sindh Province alone. Some 33 million people have been affected, and access to many vulnerable communities was cut off as hundreds of bridges and thousands of kilometers of roads were destroyed or washed away. WHO is supporting the Government of Pakistan to respond by delivering supplies needed by health facilities and increasing disease monitoring to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. https://www.emro.who.int/pak/pakistan-news/pakistans-people-ravaged-by-calamitous-floods.html

Devastating flash floods have washed away roads, homes and crops in Pakistan. The flooding was brought on by monsoon rains which began in mid-July 2022. The catastrophic floods killed over 1,400 people, destroyed more than half a million homes and displaced over 660,000 people into camps. Many more people are displaced in host communities. More than 750,000 livestock – a critical source of income for many families – died after the rainfall, which in August was more than five times the national 30-year average in some parts of Pakistan. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the floods damaged 1.2 million hectares of agricultural land in Sindh Province alone. Some 33 million people have been affected, and access to many vulnerable communities was cut off as hundreds of bridges and thousands of kilometers of roads were destroyed or washed away. WHO is supporting the Government of Pakistan to respond by delivering supplies needed by health facilities and increasing disease monitoring to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. https://www.emro.who.int/pak/pakistan-news/pakistans-people-ravaged-by-calamitous-floods.html

The UN High mission, under the leadership of Mr Adam Abdelmoula, DSRSG and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, visited Bulobacley IDP camps in North Galkayo, Puntland to assess the drought impact. The ongoing drought in Somalia and across the Horn of Africa is known to be the region’s worst in the last four decades and it may lead to famine. In Somalia alone, an estimated 6.1 million people have been affected by the drought, of whom 759 400 have been displaced in search of water, food and pasture; 3.5 million lack sufficient access to water; and 6 million continue to face severe food shortages, with approximately 1.4 million children facing acute malnutrition, including 329 500 likely to become severely malnourished. So far, a total of 3675 suspected cases of cholera and 2720 cases of measles have been confirmed since January 2022 from the drought-affected areas. World Health organization Somalia along with United Nations Somalia appeals to all donors and partners for support.

On July 7, World Health Organization Somalia conducted a field visit to the Daynile Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Mogadishu. Field photo from the Daynile IDP camp.

A landscape shot shows a dead cow in Eljale, a Goobweyn village in Kismayo, Jubbaland state, Somalia, on 20 April 2022. WHO Somalia continues to collaborate with key partners to provide support to the Federal and State Ministries of Health in Somalia to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to eligible Somalis, wherever they live. Immunizing newly displaced persons from drought, some of parents didn’t seen an immunization program more than 10 years due to the accessibility or insecurity.

The UN High mission, under the leadership of Mr Adam Abdelmoula, DSRSG and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, visited Bulobacley IDP camps in North Galkayo, Puntland to assess the drought impact. The ongoing drought in Somalia and across the Horn of Africa is known to be the region’s worst in the last four decades and it may lead to famine. In Somalia alone, an estimated 6.1 million people have been affected by the drought, of whom 759 400 have been displaced in search of water, food and pasture; 3.5 million lack sufficient access to water; and 6 million continue to face severe food shortages, with approximately 1.4 million children facing acute malnutrition, including 329 500 likely to become severely malnourished. So far, a total of 3675 suspected cases of cholera and 2720 cases of measles have been confirmed since January 2022 from the drought-affected areas. World Health organization Somalia along with United Nations Somalia appeals to all donors and partners for support. Mother and child are going to the borehole to get water.

Let's vaccinate to protect ourselves and those with weakened immune systems. Long Life For All with vaccination

A team from World Health Organization Country Office in the Islamic Republic of Iran stepped forward to take part in the recent world blood donor day. A team of WHO staff joined together on Thursday, 16 June, to donate blood on the occasion of the World Blood Donor Day, celebrated annually on 14 June, at a blood donation center operating under the auspices of the Iran Blood Transfusion Organization. Headed by WHO Deputy Representative Dr Mikiko Senga, the initiative aims to increase awareness of safe blood donation through such activities on a regular basis. Every year countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day, which serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood. http://www.emro.who.int/iran/news/who-staff-donate-blood-as-an-act-of-solidarity-to-save-lives-in-islamic-republic-of-iran.html?format=html

Nurse giving twins( sayf and yousf sharyan) polio vaccine- in palestine On Monday 16 May, the Palestinian Ministry of Health launched round one of a polio vaccination campaign targeting all children under age five in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The vaccination campaign is scheduled to run over three days: Monday 16 May through Wednesday 18 May 2022. Vaccination, using bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV), is free and will be offered at maternal and child centres and UNRWA centres throughout Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The vaccination campaign was carried out with support from WHO, UNICEF and UNRWA’s Palestine country offices. Round two of the campaign will take place in June and will offer all children under age five a second two drops of polio vaccine, further boosting their immunity. Children living outside of Jerusalem and Bethlehem do not currently require an additional dose of oral polio vaccine. If their routine immunizations are up to date, they are well protected from poliovirus and other vaccine-preventable diseases. Poliovirus primarily affects children under age five and can lead to lifelong paralysis. It can easily be prevented through vaccination. Parents are urged to accept polio vaccines every time they are offered. The vaccination campaign in Palestine is part of the global effort to eradicate poliovirus, spearheaded by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Let's vaccinate to protect ourselves and those with weakened immune systems. Long Life For All with vaccination

The UN High mission, under the leadership of Mr Adam Abdelmoula, DSRSG and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, visited Bulobacley IDP camps in North Galkayo, Puntland to assess the drought impact. The ongoing drought in Somalia and across the Horn of Africa is known to be the region’s worst in the last four decades and it may lead to famine. In Somalia alone, an estimated 6.1 million people have been affected by the drought, of whom 759 400 have been displaced in search of water, food and pasture; 3.5 million lack sufficient access to water; and 6 million continue to face severe food shortages, with approximately 1.4 million children facing acute malnutrition, including 329 500 likely to become severely malnourished. So far, a total of 3675 suspected cases of cholera and 2720 cases of measles have been confirmed since January 2022 from the drought-affected areas. World Health organization Somalia along with United Nations Somalia appeals to all donors and partners for support.

A one-month campaign, which began on 29 June 2020, targeted more than 6 million people in 10 heavily populated and COVID-19-affected districts in Baghdad with health promotion and awareness messages to limit transmission of COVID-19 following an increase in the number of cases reported in the country. The campaign was organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health, in partnership with the United Iraqi Medical Society, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and community police.

The clinical management pillar of WHO’s regional incident management support team completed training of trainers for intensive care doctors and nurses in Iraq as part of its ongoing response to surge demand for intensive care beds and critical care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like in other complex emergencies, COVID-19 has highlighted a significant need for intensive care and critical care capacity-building among health care professionals in the country. To address this need, 6 rounds of 3-day workshops were held between 16 May and 4 June to train 87 health care professionals who are currently working in COVID-19 intensive care units (ICUs) from all governorates in Iraq. These included 42 doctors and 45 nurses and anesthesia technicians. The training of trainers provided an introductory course on intensive care and critical care for COVID-19 patients, and covered core life support skills and the management of critically ill patients. The training agenda was designed to be flexible and adaptive to local needs and responsive to the requests made by participants and the Ministry of Health to best meet the gaps in ICUs and critical care in the country. A variety of training methods were used, including lectures, demonstrations, group discussions and feedback, interactive question and answer sessions, practical learning stations and quizzes. All materials used during the lectures, along with additional electronic textbooks, were provided to participants for subsequent cascade training at subnational level. Participants demonstrating outstanding skills, knowledge and attitude were identified throughout the training and selected to receive WHO and Ministry support to conduct cascade training to additional doctors and nurses in their respective governorates. During the training period and in the week following completion of the workshops, site visits were conducted to COVID-19 hospitals and ICUs and an assessment was conducted. The ICU assessment tool focused on the quality of services, patient safety strategies, the competency level of clinical services, the level of process capabilities and the impact on patient outcomes. The purpose of the assessment was to help ICU staff identify gaps that require continuous quality and safety improvements. During site visits, the team also worked on developing standard operating procedures to be adapted to public health services in Iraq. WHO will continue to follow up on the implementation of the cascade training in Iraq, and also expand this training to other priority countries in the Region.

During his visit, WHO’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari visited a fixed vaccination site and a school (outreach site) at Gulbahar Colony in Peshawar to witness a nationwide measles and rubella campaign. The campaign is the largest in Pakistan's history and aims to vaccinate 90 million children (9 months to less than15 years) in Pakistan from 15 to 27 November 2021. Children posed with WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari. http://www.emro.who.int/pak/pakistan-news/who-regional-director-visits-pakistan-during-measles-and-rubella-campaign-and-inaugurates-community-covid-19-vaccination-centre.html - Title of WHO staff and officials reflects their respective position at the time the photo was taken.

During his 3-day visit to Somalia, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari visited North Galkacyo in Puntland state of Somalia to oversee WHO’s ongoing drought response activities, see the work of community health workers in delivering integrated health and nutrition services to the people displaced by the recent drought in Somalia and also visit one of the internally displaced population’s camps to see the challenges faced by the communities in meeting their health, nutrition, food and water and sanitation needs. The ongoing drought in Somalia and across the Horn of Africa is known to be the region’s worst one in the last 4 decades. In Somalia alone, an estimated 6.1 million people have been affected by the drought, of whom 759 400 have been displaced in search of water, food and pasture; 3.5 million lack sufficient access to water; 6 million continue to face severe food shortages, with approximately 1.4 million children facing acute malnutrition through 2022, including 329 500 likely to become severely malnourished; So far, a total of 3675 suspected cases of cholera and 2720 cases of measles have been confirmed since January 2022 from the drought-affected areas. Somali children. http://www.emro.who.int/somalia/news/who-regional-director-for-the-eastern-mediterranean-officially-launches-who-emergency-health-response-plan-for-drought-in-somalia-calling-for-early-action-to-protect-health-and-save-lives.html?format=html - Title of WHO staff and officials reflects their respective position at the time the photo was taken.

An Investigation team including the Disease Surveillance and Laboratory technicians visited Galkacyo General Hospital and other health facilities in Galkacyo. They met the Regional Health Officer, Surveillance Officers, Director General of Galkacyo General Hospital, MSF, and other regional health teams to collect information about the measles outbreak in Galkacyo District, Puntland, Somalia.

Children in Al Hol camp, north-east Syria.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has successfully evacuated a 60-year-old female patient with a mental disorder from Al Hol camp in north-east Syria to a WHO-supported psychiatric hospital in Aleppo. Read more: http://www.emro.who.int/syria/news/who-supports-the-evacuation-of-a-mental-health-patient-from-al-hol-camp.html

Operation room at Al-Thawra hospital.

Children with thalassemia. Thousands of Yemeni children and adolescents suffer from thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder that causes anemia, fatigue, stunting, and even death. The disorder is manageable with blood transfusions and iron-chelating drugs, and patients who are treated can live normal lives. But the country's ongoing conflict has severely disrupted the supply of essential medicines for blood disorders, putting the health and lives of patients at risk. In response to the crisis, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) in 2021 launched an emergency programme to fill the medications gap. Funded by the IsDB and working closely with the Yemen Society for Thalassemia and Genetic Blood Disorders (YSTH) and Yemen's Ministry of Public Health and Population, WHO procured and delivered 934,550 units of eight essential medications for patients with thalassemia and other genetic blood disorders.

Hargeisa General Group Hospital and laboratory.
Hargeisa General Group Hospital and laboratory.

Cholera camp in Yemen.

Sahand, a new town in the East Azerbaijan Province of Iran, has just been awarded as a healthy city under WHO’s Healthy Cities Programme. The city is still being developed with a steadily growing population, and it is expected to feature future-proof urban spaces and services. The healthy city program in Sahand started in 2015 with the vision to create “a safe and healthy community for the happy livelihood of every person”. A final evaluation visit was conducted on May 23-25 by experts from the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office to assess the city’s “Healthy City” eligibility. The visit was the second, and final, part of the assessment. An important element in Sahand’s Healthy City development is to empower women in collaboration with the governor’s office, health networks, municipal entities, social protection sector and civil society organizations. They have multiple community-led initiatives and programs for the socio-economic empowerment of vulnerable populations, including the elderly, people living with disabilities, women-headed households, children, etc. Pictures are related to non-governmental community center set up in Sahand to support women-headed households. Women are engaged in carpet weaving at a non-governmental community center set up in Sahand to support women-headed households. Supported by the authorities, the workers can present their products to customers in local and global markets. Read more: https://applications.emro.who.int/HCN/News/Details/97

The heads of World Health Organization (WHO), Qatar Ministry of Public Health, FIFA and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) met together for the first Steering Committee meeting of the “Healthy FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ – Creating Legacy for Sport and Health” partnership. From right to left: Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, HE Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Qatar’s Minister of Public Health and Chair of the Steering Committee Meeting, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Sports For Health Didier Drogba and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Read more: https://www.who.int/news/item/01-04-2022-who-qatar-fifa-leaders-agree-actions-to-promote-health-at-fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022 - Title of WHO staff and officials reflects their respective position at the time the photo was taken.

Health authorities launched a campaign to vaccinate 1.7 million children against measles and polio in Benaadir, Galguduud, Hirshabelle, Jubaland and South West State, Somalia. The 5-day campaign, running from 24 to 28 November, will target children under the age of 5 with polio vaccines and children aged 6 to 59 months with measles vaccines. The vaccination campaign, conducted in partnership with the Somali government, World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), also includes a vitamin A supplement for children under 5 to boost their immunity as well as de-worming tablets. The measles virus is spread by respiratory transmission and is highly contagious. Up to 90% of people without immunity who are sharing a house with an infected person will catch it. As of 9 November, 3616 suspected measles cases have been reported in Somalia in 2019. Somalia also continues to respond to a vaccine-derived polio outbreak. Three vaccine-derived polio cases have been confirmed in the country in 2019 and 15 children have been paralysed since the onset of the latest outbreak in 2017. “One among 7 Somali children dies before their fifth birthday and many of these deaths are preventable by use of vaccines. Although we have made progress over the years to improve routine immunization coverage in the country, there is an urgent need to further scale up the vaccination coverage, especially for measles and polio, by working together with partners, communities and grass-root level organizations. The integrated campaign for measles and polio is expected to improve routine immunization coverage and reach out to those who are missed out during routine immunization programme,” said WHO Representative Dr Mamunur Malik. The campaign targets particularly children in districts with high concentrations of internally displaced persons and nomadic communities. These population groups often have higher mobility, and so are at increased risk for transmission of these diseases. “Crowded living conditions, malnutrition and limited access to water and sanitation in the camps and other sites breed disease and put children at grave risk,” said UNICEF Somalia Representative Werner Schultink. “To protect these children, it is critical to reach them with life-saving vaccines.” The campaign aims to stem the transmission of measles infection and reduce the likelihood of future measles outbreaks in Somalia. Adding polio vaccine to the campaign will also help to bolster protection against polio virus type 1 and 3 among all Somali children. More than 17 000 skilled community vaccinators, frontline health workers and social mobilizers are implementing the campaign. Integrated campaigns are important to raise immunity among children and avoid the devastating implications of these entirely preventable diseases on individuals, families, the local economy and health security in the region.

ICERP, a new partnership platform between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Islamic Republic of Iran, funded by international resources, will make substantive contributions to the procurement and delivery of essential medical and diagnostic equipment to many public hospitals and laboratories across the country caring for COVID-19 patients. The procurement is part of the COVID-19 Emergency Response Project (ICERP), a collaboration between WHO and and the Ministry of Health and Medical Education initiated on 16 June 2020 and funded at US $50 million in an effort to support the country’s health care system in diagnosing and treating patients with COVID-19. By its closing date on 31 May 2021, the project is planned to procure and deliver a total of 316 medical devices, including CT scanners, ultrasound machines, portable digital x-ray machines, as well as 135 diagnostic laboratory devices and their consumables. The devices are being distributed to 136 public hospitals and 43 laboratories across the country caring for COVID-19 patients. There are 10 key steps to go through before the equipment enters the country and reaches its destination, including bidding, purchase order, shipment, customs clearance, site readiness, central warehousing, distribution, handover, installation, and training medical staff. Installation of portable CT Scanners at Rasool Akram Hospital in Tehran.

Children queueing for vaccination in a school in Pakistan.

Health authorities launched a campaign to vaccinate 1.7 million children against measles and polio in Benaadir, Galguduud, Hirshabelle, Jubaland and South West State, Somalia. The 5-day campaign, running from 24 to 28 November, will target children under the age of 5 with polio vaccines and children aged 6 to 59 months with measles vaccines. The vaccination campaign, conducted in partnership with the Somali government, World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), also includes a vitamin A supplement for children under 5 to boost their immunity as well as de-worming tablets. The measles virus is spread by respiratory transmission and is highly contagious. Up to 90% of people without immunity who are sharing a house with an infected person will catch it. As of 9 November, 3616 suspected measles cases have been reported in Somalia in 2019. Somalia also continues to respond to a vaccine-derived polio outbreak. Three vaccine-derived polio cases have been confirmed in the country in 2019 and 15 children have been paralysed since the onset of the latest outbreak in 2017. “One among 7 Somali children dies before their fifth birthday and many of these deaths are preventable by use of vaccines. Although we have made progress over the years to improve routine immunization coverage in the country, there is an urgent need to further scale up the vaccination coverage, especially for measles and polio, by working together with partners, communities and grass-root level organizations. The integrated campaign for measles and polio is expected to improve routine immunization coverage and reach out to those who are missed out during routine immunization programme,” said WHO Representative Dr Mamunur Malik. The campaign targets particularly children in districts with high concentrations of internally displaced persons and nomadic communities. These population groups often have higher mobility, and so are at increased risk for transmission of these diseases. “Crowded living conditions, malnutrition and limited access to water and sanitation in the camps and other sites breed disease and put children at grave risk,” said UNICEF Somalia Representative Werner Schultink. “To protect these children, it is critical to reach them with life-saving vaccines.” The campaign aims to stem the transmission of measles infection and reduce the likelihood of future measles outbreaks in Somalia. Adding polio vaccine to the campaign will also help to bolster protection against polio virus type 1 and 3 among all Somali children. More than 17 000 skilled community vaccinators, frontline health workers and social mobilizers are implementing the campaign. Integrated campaigns are important to raise immunity among children and avoid the devastating implications of these entirely preventable diseases on individuals, families, the local economy and health security in the region.

Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director EMRO at Heevi Pediatric Hospital in Dohuk, Kurdistan region during his visit to Iraq. Read more: http://www.emro.who.int/media/news/statement-on-iraq-by-dr-ahmed-al-mandhari.html - Title of WHO staff and officials reflects their respective position at the time the photo was taken.

Dr Ahmed Al Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean with a paramedic in a new ambulance donated by WHO to the Ministry of Health of Iraq. Read more: http://www.emro.who.int/media/news/statement-on-iraq-by-dr-ahmed-al-mandhari.html - Title of WHO staff and officials reflects their respective position at the time the photo was taken.

WHO Iran communication team travel around the country and talk to health care staff, patients, and families to hear first-hand about their experience of dealing with the COVID-19 epidemic in Iran before and after the implementation of the Iran COVID-19 Emergency Response Project (ICERP). Field visit to Shahid Beheshti Hospital. ICERP was a collaboration between the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health and Medical Education of the Islamic Republic of Iran, funded through a loan by the World Bank beginning in June 2020 and completing in July 2021. Over the past year, it procured and delivered 451 essential and life-saving medical and diagnostic equipment to 182 public hospitals and laboratories across 31 provinces of Iran caring for COVID-19 patients to help them in their fight against COVID-19.

Beneficiary measuring her oxygen level of the blood at a primary health care centre. The centre distributes medications and provides health services.

Yemen has been free of wild poliovirus (WPV) since 2006, but in 2020 a polio outbreak was declared, with more than 28 children being paralyzed by this vaccine-preventable disease. An outbreak response is being implemented by UNICEF and WHO in support of the local health authorities. Polio teams across Yemen are working with partners to reach every child with oral polio vaccine (OPV) and stop the outbreak in its tracks. Sometimes, vaccinators in Yemen reach the end of a long and difficult road, only to continue on foot for hours more. Read more: http://www.emro.who.int/yemen/priority-areas/polio.html

Cookery classes at Mandala community centre. Mandala community centre in the city of Aleppo opened in 2017. Since then, it has become a busy and popular hub for local residents, providing a mix of services that include reproductive health care, vocational training and mental health counselling, including sessions tailored for survivors of genderbased violence. These services are offered at the centre, through community visits and by mobile teams working at IDP sites. Community visits help ensure that elderly people are not isolated and that they and their carers obtain the health care and emotional support they need. The World Health Organization (WHO) has delivered medicines and other supplies and equipment to the centre, trained its staff on mental health interventions and provided advice and supervision. In 2018, the centre provided 1270 vocational services and 3822 mental health consultations, including many to women who were survivors of gender-based violence. More than 3000 reproductive health consultations were provided at the centre and through mobile teams

Yemen’s Ministry of Public Health and Population, with support from WHO and UNICEF, has concluded a national house-to-house polio immunization campaign, targeting 5 019 948 children under the age of 5 across the country. During the campaign, more than 4.5 million children (90% of target) were successfully vaccinated by more than 40 000 health workers. Members of local councils and civil society representatives were engaged to mobilize support and raise awareness about the importance of the polio vaccination among communities. The campaign reached children in high-risk groups, such as internally displaced persons and refugees.

Murjan is a senior nurse with a mobile clinic that provides mammography services to women in the West Bank villages in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). The mobile clinic team provides breast screening, raises awareness about breast cancer and its prevention, shows women how to do a self-examination and explains the importance of regular check-ups. Read more: http://www.emro.who.int/opt/news/mobile-clinic-brings-mammography-services-to-remote-communities-in-the-west-bank.html

To prevent a resurgence of the Cholera outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and health authorities in Yemen launched the first-ever cholera oral vaccination campaign from 6-15 May targeting the most vulnerable 500,000 women, children and men in and around the city. The campaign came at a crucial time during Yemen’s rainy season, when water is easily contaminated by overflowing sewage. This first phase of the campaign targeted high-risk districts that were identified as cholera ‘hot spots’. More than 270,000 people were vaccinated, and plans are currently under way to reach more high-risk districts across the country. Children showing their cholera vaccination card over a balcony in Yemen.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus accompanied by WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari visited Pakistan calling for a final push on polio eradication and commitment to ensure that all people in the country can obtain the health care they need. Dr Tedros and Dr Mandhari visited the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) for Polio Eradication, a basic health unit in Shah Allah Ditta, Islamabad, Pakistan. Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari administering vaccine to a child. - Title of WHO staff and officials reflects their respective position at the time the photo was taken. Read more: http://www.emro.who.int/pak/pakistan-news/who-director-general-urges-final-push-on-polio-eradication-as-he-concludes-his-visit-to-pakistan.html

World Health Organization (WHO) conducted a field visit to Primary Health Care Centre Chiyah (PHCCC). The Primary Health Care Center of Chiyah municipality, is one of the leading and unique centers in the region, aiming to improve the health of the community, throughout offering exemplary health care services. Beneficiary doing blood sugar test at a primary health care centre.

The UN COVID-19 Multi-Partner Trust Fund project (UN COVID-19 MPTF) aim is to ensure the continuity of primary health care and essential hospital services for vulnerable population and develop prevention and hygiene measures for essential non-health sectors in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. A patient receiving palliative care at home.

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