WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office
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| WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office | |
|---|---|
| Name | WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office |
| Formation | 1949 |
| Headquarters | Cairo |
| Leader title | Regional Director |
| Leader name | Ahmed Al-Mandhari |
| Parent organization | World Health Organization |
WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office
The WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) is the World Health Organization regional office that coordinates World Health Organization activities across the Eastern Mediterranean region, providing technical guidance on public health, disease control, health systems strengthening, and emergency response. EMRO supports national health authorities, collaborates with agencies such as the United Nations system, the World Bank, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, and engages with civil society, academic institutions, and donor partners to advance the International Health Regulations (2005), Sustainable Development Goals, and global health security.
History
EMRO was established as part of the post‑World War II reorganization of international health cooperation, following the founding of the World Health Organization and early regional arrangements such as the Eastern Mediterranean Health Regional Office concept and meetings convened in the late 1940s and 1950s. Over decades EMRO adapted through major events including cholera epidemics, the Smallpox eradication campaign, the expansion of the Expanded Programme on Immunization, and the response to the 1988 poliomyelitis resurgence and later the Polio eradication initiative. The office's trajectory has been shaped by crises such as the Iran–Iraq War, the Gulf War (1990–1991), the Syrian civil war, the Yemeni crisis, and outbreaks including Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus and the 2014–2016 West African Ebola epidemic which influenced regional preparedness and surveillance systems. EMRO has engaged with initiatives like the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the Global Health Security Agenda to expand immunization, tuberculosis control, and emergency readiness.
Organization and Governance
EMRO functions within the governance architecture of the World Health Organization and reports to the World Health Assembly through the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean, where ministers of health from member states and territories convene. Leadership is provided by the Regional Director, accountable to the WHO Director-General, and supported by technical divisions aligned with WHO headquarters programs such as Health Systems Strengthening, Communicable Diseases, Noncommunicable Diseases, Family and Community Health, and Emergency Preparedness and Response. The office collaborates with UN agencies including the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, and UNHCR on refugee health, and maintains technical partnerships with universities like the American University of Beirut, the Ain Shams University, and research institutions such as the Pasteur Institute network and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Governance mechanisms include regular reporting to the United Nations Economic and Social Council and coordination with regional organizations like the League of Arab States.
Member States and Locations
EMRO's area covers a diverse set of member states and territories, including countries of the Arabian Peninsula such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, and Qatar; Levantine states including Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the State of Palestine; North African members like Egypt and Libya; and parts of South and Central Asia such as Pakistan and Afghanistan along with Somalia and Djibouti. The regional office is headquartered in Cairo, with country offices and field offices across capitals like Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Khartoum, Islamabad, Kabul, Baghdad, Tehran, Tunis, and Tripoli. EMRO liaises with national ministries including the Ministry of Health (Egypt), Ministry of Public Health (Afghanistan), and equivalents in members such as Ministry of Health (Saudi Arabia) and Ministry of Health and Population (Yemen).
Programs and Initiatives
EMRO leads regional programs in immunization, communicable disease control, maternal and child health, and noncommunicable disease prevention. Major initiatives include support for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, implementation of the Expanded Programme on Immunization, tuberculosis strategies aligned with the Stop TB Partnership, and HIV programming coordinated with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. EMRO advances maternal and newborn interventions linked to the Every Woman Every Child movement and maternal health targets of the Sustainable Development Goals. It promotes antimicrobial stewardship in line with the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance and supports noncommunicable disease prevention through links with the World Heart Federation and the International Diabetes Federation. Research collaborations involve institutions such as the National Institutes of Health, the Wellcome Trust, and regional academies including the Islamic World Academy of Sciences.
Emergency Response and Humanitarian Action
EMRO has operational roles in emergency health response, deploying rapid response teams for disease outbreaks, mass casualty incidents, and health system shocks, often coordinating with humanitarian actors like Médecins Sans Frontières, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Responses have included vaccination campaigns during displacement crises associated with the Syrian civil war and the Iraq War, cholera control in Yemen, and coordinated action during the COVID-19 pandemic alongside the United Nations Secretary-General's initiatives. EMRO supports implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) and regional contingency plans, and works with military medical services, regional health clusters, and donor emergency funds to restore essential services and surveillance in conflict-affected settings.
Partnerships and Funding
EMRO's work is financed through assessed contributions to the World Health Organization, voluntary contributions from member states including Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, and grants from multilateral donors such as the World Bank and the Global Fund. Major philanthropic and bilateral partners include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the United States Agency for International Development, and the Government of Japan. Technical and operational partnerships involve academic consortia, regional health bodies like the Arab Health Ministers Council, and non‑profit organizations such as the International Rescue Committee and CARE International. Financial oversight aligns with WHO policies and reporting to stakeholders including the Joint Inspection Unit and donor oversight mechanisms.