By Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean

Gaza: the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe

An entire population cut off from sustained aid. An estimated 40,600 deaths, and the numbers increase daily. Seventy-two per cent of all casualties women and children. Ten thousand people reported missing, most presumed dead under the rubble. Displacement on a colossal scale. Famine and food insecurity. Disease outbreaks. Systematic attacks on civilian spaces and health care. What is happening in Gaza defies belief. It is unconscionable.

WHO's CBS training to strengthen public health resilience

TEHRAN - The World Health Organization (WHO) in Iran has implemented a community-based surveillance (CBS) training program to systematically detect and report public health events and promote public health resilience.

WHO facilitates procurement of 2.79m vaccine vial monitors for Iran

TEHRAN - The World Health Organization (WHO) has achieved a significant milestone by successfully facilitating the procurement of 2.79 million Vaccine Vial Monitors (VVMs) for the Islamic Republic of Iran’s oral polio vaccine program.

IBTO achievements are unparalleled worldwide: WHO official   

TEHRAN – Jaffar Hussain, the representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Iran, has said the indicators and accomplishments of the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization (IBTO) are remarkable and unique in the region and even the world.

IBTO is WHO regional training authority: official

TEHRAN –The Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization (IBTO) is still known as a regional training authority of the World Health Organization (WHO) in blood transfusion medicine, Bashir Haji-Beigi, the IBTO spokesman, has said.

WHO EMRO to support cooperation between Iran, neighboring countries to address health challenges

TEHRAN – The World Health Organization’s (WHO) director for the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) has announced WHO’s support for multi-country partnerships including subregional collaboration between the Islamic Republic of Iran and neighboring countries. 

WHO enhances prehospital capacities of Iranian emergency organization

TEHRAN – To bolster emergency medical services, the World Health Organization has donated 40 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and 1250 AED pads to the Iranian National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO). The donation was co-funded by the European Union.    

WHO EMRO director paying visit to Iran

TEHRAN –Hanan Hassan Balkhi, the World Health Organization’s director for the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, is on a four-day visit to the provinces of Isfahan and Tehran to assess the country’s healthcare system’s capabilities and progress.

WHO, Japan renew partnership to combat malaria in Iran

TEHRAN – The World Health Organization has launched a new project with the financial support of the Government of Japan to revive malaria prevention and control in south-eastern provinces of Iran, which host vulnerable populations, including Afghan refugees.

WHO admits Persian Medicine National Coding for Classification of Diseases 

TEHRAN – The World Health Organization (WHO) has admitted the Persian Medicine National Coding for International Classification of Diseases (ICD).

WHO, Russia collaborate to strengthen emergency response capacities in Iran

TEHRAN - In a significant stride towards bolstering emergency response capacities and healthcare resilience, a Trauma and Emergency Surgery Kit (TESK) was generously donated to the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) of Iran.

WHO, Japan to strengthen resilience of Iranian health system  

TEHRAN – The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Wednesday the culmination of a project that saw six state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, which the Government of Japan generously funded, and successfully installed in Iranian hospitals.

WHO scales up polio surveillance capabilities in Iran

TEHRAN – In a dedicated effort coinciding with World Polio Day 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) has further strengthened the fight against polio by providing the National Polio Laboratory (NPL) of the Islamic Republic of Iran with a cutting-edge sequencing machine.

WHO urged not to be negligent in providing healthcare to Gaza

TEHRAN – Health Minister Bahram Einollahi has urged the World Health Organization not to be negligent in providing healthcare to people in Gaza and send necessary medical and therapeutic equipment to the region.

Health minister urges WHO to take serious measures to help Palestinians

TEHRAN – Iranian Health Minister Bahram Einollahi held a phone call with Ahmed al-Mandhari, the World Health Organization director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, urging him to take serious measures to help Palestinians under Israeli attacks.

Iran to attend WHO regional committee meeting   

TEHRAN – A delegation led by Health Minister Bahram Einollahi is going to participate in the 70th session of the World Health Organization’s Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean.

WHO advisor hails Iran’s nursing achievements

TEHRAN - Fariba A Al-Darazi, the World Health Organization’s Adviser for Nursing and Midwifery in the Eastern Mediterranean, has praised Iran for achieving progress in nursing over the past years.

WHO, Japan provide Iran with MRI machines

TEHRAN - The World Health Organization (WHO) has delivered the first 3 MRI machines as a part of a project that is funded by the Government of Japan aimed at strengthening the diagnostic capacity of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s health system.

Budget to support patients with rare diseases rises by 40%

TEHRAN – The budget allocated to support patients with rare diseases has increased by 40 percent.

WHO appreciates Iran for enhancing health security in region

TEHRAN - Syed Jaffar Hussain, the World Health Organization Representative and Head of Mission in Iran, has appreciated the country for its efforts to enhance health security in the region.

WHO confirms measles and rubella eliminated in Iran

TEHRAN – The World Health Organization has confirmed that measles and rubella have been eradicated in Iran, Health Minister Bahram Einollahi said on Monday.

Many regional countries seeking Iran’s health expertise: minister

TEHRAN - Health Minister Bahram Einollahi has said many countries in the region are asking Iran for help with issues related to health.

More than 1.7m Iranians donate blood in 9 months

TEHRAN – Some 1.7 million Iranians donated blood over the first nine months of the current [Iranian calendar] year which started on March 21, 2022, the Blood Transfusion Organization spokesman has said.

Coronavirus: UNWTO, WHO call for lifting of travel restrictions, claim they’re not effective

TEHRAN - The two UN agencies, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have agreed to collaborate on a global trust architecture for recovery of the travel sector.

WHO praises Iran for controlling malaria

TEHRAN – Iran has not registered any native cases of malaria for three consecutive years, Tedros Adhanom Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) said, praising Iran for controlling malaria.

Iran warns WHO of ‘vaccine apartheid’ threat

TEHRAN – The Iranian deputy health minister has warned the World Health Organization of a ‘vaccine apartheid’ which ‘can be a threat to the global health’.

It is encouraging to see COVID-19 vaccination accelerating in Iran, WHO says

TEHRAN – The World Health Organization has issued a statement, saying that it is encouraging to see an acceleration in coronavirus vaccination in Iran that started early August.

Iran is a role model for primary health care: WHO

TEHRAN - Ahmed al-Mandhari, the World Health Organization director for Eastern Mediterranean Region, has said the Islamic Republic of Iran is a role model for primary health care.