Eastern Mediterranean health journal = La revue de santé de la Méditerranée orientale = al-Majallah al-ṣiḥḥīyah li-sharq al-mutawassiṭ
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East. Mediterr. Health J. · Feb 2020
EditorialCoronavirus Disease 2019 outbreak: preparedness and readiness of countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
On 31 December 2019, a cluster of acute respiratory illness was reported from China and later confirmed as novel coronavirus on 7 January 2020. This virus is the same member of the coronavirus family that caused the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV) reported in China 2003, and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV) reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. ⋯ To date, the outbreak has spread to most provinces in China and 25 other countries within a relatively short period. Consequent to its spread, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 30 January 2020.
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East. Mediterr. Health J. · Jan 2020
EditorialFull implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in the Eastern Mediterranean Region is the responsibility of all.
Although the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) came into force in 2005, the tobacco control challenge continues to escalate. Despite the fact that tobacco use is finally projected to decrease in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), as indicated in the WHO Global Report on Trends in the Prevalence of Tobacco Use, the tobacco epidemic is still far from over.
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East. Mediterr. Health J. · Dec 2019
EditorialEffective health information systems for delivering the Sustainable Development Goals and the universal health coverage agenda.
Universal health coverage (UHC) and the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) cannot be achieved without the appropriate measurement and monitoring mechanisms. At the global level, extensive attention is given to mechanisms that focus on measuring and reporting the status of SDG indicators, to help in shaping global priorities, and to steer political will and leverage for action at the national level.
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East. Mediterr. Health J. · Nov 2019
EditorialStrengthening the early detection of common cancers in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Cancer is the fourth leading cause of death in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) with an estimated 676 500 new cases and 419 000 cancer deaths in 2018. Population growth, ageing and the rise of risk factors may lead to double the incidence within the coming decades. Based on GLOBOCAN 2018 the most common cancers in the region are breast, colorectal, lung, liver and bladder cancer, closely followed by Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leukemia. The most common cancers among men in the Region are lung (10.4%), liver (8.4%) and prostate cancer (8%), while the most common cancers among women are breast (34.7%), colorectal (5.7%) and cervical cancer (4.6%).
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East. Mediterr. Health J. · Oct 2019
EditorialAchieving "Health for All by All" in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region occupies an exceptional place in the world; not only is it home to over 600 million people and some of the oldest civilizations recorded, it is also unfortunately suffering an unprecedented number of natural and man-made disasters and social conflicts. Regional conflict has led to a multitude of humanitarian crises including displaced populations, trans-border refugee movements, destruction of medical facilities and reduced availability of essential health-care workers. In addition, natural disasters in the form of extreme weather events, as witnessed by the unprecedented flooding in the Islamic Republic of Iran, had the World Bank declaring that the Region is among the most vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels, with Egypt, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates particularly at risk. Moreover, much of the Region has been exposed to continuous drought since 1998, the worst dry period for 900 years according to NASA, and an estimated 80-100 million people will be vulnerable to water stress by 2025.