‘Worthy of our people’: WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean outlines a bold vision for health in the Eastern Mediterranean

16 October 2025, Cairo, Egypt - At yesterday's opening of the Seventy-second session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean (RC72), Regional Director Dr Hanan Balkhy was forthright about the problems facing the Region.

"We meet amid profound uncertainty for our Region and for global health. Wars, disasters, displacement and declining aid are compounding one tragedy upon another. If we do not change course, these will be remembered as dark times. But there are those of us - including the people in this room - who still believe in the mandate of this Organization, who still believe in the right to health for all," she told the assembled ministers of health, heads of delegations and partner representatives.

Dr Balkhy underlined how, in the past year, the Eastern Mediterranean Region - home to 750 million -accounted for two-thirds of global attacks on health, and hospitals - once safe havens - have become sites of violence.

In the face of the challenges, Dr Balkhy reaffirmed WHO's commitment to health for all and praised the frontline workers risking their lives in conflict zones and underserved areas. She commended Member States for their leadership in global health governance, including their role in the WHO Pandemic Agreement and increasing assessed contributions by 20%. Generous pledges to polio eradication efforts from countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar reflect strong regional solidarity. In 2024 alone, voluntary contributions to WHO's emergencies programme reached US$ 87.5 million.

Dr Balkhy outlined progress under the Regional Strategic Operational Plan and 3 flagship initiatives in the face of unprecedented challenges.

Polio eradication

Wild poliovirus is declining in Afghanistan and Pakistan and vaccine-derived outbreaks have been contained in Gaza and Egypt.

Communicable diseases

Routine immunization now reaches 85% of children. Sudan introduced the malaria vaccine, Egypt was certified malaria-free and has controlled hepatitis B, and Jordan became the first country globally to be verified for leprosy elimination.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCD) and mental health

Saudi Arabia and Oman eliminated harmful trans fats, 14 countries adopted best-practice NCD policies and mental health services are being steadily integrated into primary care.

Climate and environmental health

Over 150 cities now monitor air quality, and 7 countries in the Region have integrated health into climate change planning.

Health system resilience

WHO supported recovery efforts in Iraq, Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen, and is supporting post-conflict planning in Gaza.

Migration and displacement

Member States are constantly working to ensure access to essential services for refugees and migrants, with new initiatives focused on climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

Digital health and data

National digital health strategies are advancing, with Egypt's clinical care guidelines programme and Saudi Arabia's award-winning mortality data platform serving as models.

Dr Balkhy highlighted progress under the flagship initiatives - on expanding equitable access to medical products, investing in a resilient and sustainable health workforce and accelerating public health action on substance use.

Regulatory systems are being strengthened, with Saudi Arabia reaching WHO maturity level 4 and preparing to become the Region's first WHO-listed regulatory authority by 2026. Egypt has reached level 3, and Morocco, Pakistan and Tunisia are close behind.

Countries are enhancing production capacities and improving supply systems through pooled procurement and digitized warehousing. Regulatory convergence is advancing through the North African Regulatory Harmonization initiative, involving 6 countries.

The Region faces a projected shortage of 2.1 million health workers by 2030. To counter this, Member States are developing strategies to strengthen primary care, transform education and improve governance. Regional collaboration is growing through partnerships with the League of Arab States, the Arab Board of Health Specialties and the Regional Health Alliance.

Substance use is an emerging challenge, affecting 6.7% of people aged 15-64. WHO is supporting countries as they expand treatment, integrate care into primary services and scale up prevention. A Regional Coalition is engaging civil society and people with lived experience. New tools like the Substance Use Atlas and school-based programmes are helping to protect youth, Pakistan and Egypt have initiated opioid substitution treatment and multisectoral strategies are underway in Qatar, Somalia and Tunisia.

While funding cuts have severely impacted operations, closing clinics and disrupting maternal and child health services, WHO continues to sustain essential services, from cholera control to lifesaving aid in Gaza and Sudan. WHO mobilized US$ 1.4 billion in 2024 and launched the Regional Health Financing Taskforce to help Member States strengthen domestic resource mobilization. Despite these efforts, 40% of the approved 2026-2027 budget remains unfunded.

Dr Balkhy closed with a call to action: "Regional solidarity is not optional - it is our only way forward," she told delegates. "The health of our Region is a shared responsibility. We must turn this crisis into an opportunity to build systems that are resilient, self-reliant and worthy of our people."