BACKGROUND Hepatitis D Virus (HDV) causes the most threatening form of chronic viral hepatitis. To date, there is no overall estimation of HDV prevalence in the Eastern Mediterranean Region Office of WHO (EMRO) countries. OBJECTIVES To provide a clear estimation of HDV prevalence in the aforementioned region. PATIENTS AND METHODS In the current systematic review, databases such as PubMed, E...

One way that the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO) promotes the important area of health research is by providing research grants within the Region. A desk review of 2 of the EMRO-supported research grant schemes was done to assess: the selection process ofthe research proposals, the priority areas, country data and information on the principal inves...

CONTEXT Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a public health problem. HCV alone is responsible for 90% cases of acute hepatitis among multiply transfused patients who are at risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). OBJECTIVES To provide a clear picture of available data, we performed a systematic review of the epidemiological characteristics of HCV infection among patients with i...

CONTEXT The world health organization (WHO) recommends that all blood donations should be screened for evidence of infections, such as hepatitis B. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in blood donors at the eastern Mediterranean region office (EMRO) of the WHO and middle eastern countries. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION A meta-analysis was carried ...

Psychosocial risks are widely recognised as major challenges to occupational health and safety. The risk management approach, which starts with an assessment of the risk that they pose, is acknowledged as the most effective way of preventing and managing psychosocial risks at the workplace. This paper presents the findings and action taken following a risk assessment of psychosocial risks, at t...

The WHO assists Member States in reducing dissemination of health care associated infections. Photo credit: WHOHealth care-associated infections (HAIs) are considered the most frequent adverse events that threaten patient safety around the world. Around 5% to 15% of patients admitted to acute care hospitals in developed countries acquire HAIs at any given time. The risk of acquiring infection i...

The WHO assists Member States in reducing dissemination of health care associated infections. Photo credit: WHOHealth care-associated infections (HAIs) are considered the most frequent adverse events that threaten patient safety around the world. Around 5% to 15% of patients admitted to acute care hospitals in developed countries acquire HAIs at any given time. The risk of acquiring infection i...

CONTEXT Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major global public health issue. The Eastern Mediterranean regional office (EMRO) of the world health organization (WHO) seems to have one of the highest prevalence rates worldwide, with at least 21.3 million HCV-infected patients. OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study was to review systematically all epidemiological data related to the preval...

In October 2016, the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean Region granted me the great honour of being nominated to be the new Regional Director for the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (1). In January 2017, the WHO Executive Board endorsed the Regional Committee recommendation and confirmed my appointment for a five-year period beginning 1 February 2017 (2). I have begun my new role...

The digital repository of the AIDS Information Exchange Centre was established in August 1990 by the WHO Regional Office. The establishment of this digital repository was in response to the tremendous need of the Region for accurate and culturally-adapted information and to exchange experiences, particularly in the field of prevention and control and health promotion for HIV/AIDS and sexually t...