scholarly journals Five years in action: strengthening public health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and beyond

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 857-859
Author(s):  
Ala Awan ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region

scholarly journals A participatory modelling approach for investigating the spread of COVID-19 in countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region to support public health decision-making

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. e005207
Author(s):  
Keyrellous Adib ◽  
Penelope A Hancock ◽  
Aysel Rahimli ◽  
Bridget Mugisa ◽  
Fayez Abdulrazeq ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Regional Office ◽  
Participatory Modelling ◽  
Public Health Decision ◽  
Epidemiological Modelling

Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office recognised the importance of epidemiological modelling to forecast the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic to support decisions guiding the implementation of response measures. We established a modelling support team to facilitate the application of epidemiological modelling analyses in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) countries. Here, we present an innovative, stepwise approach to participatory modelling of the COVID-19 pandemic that engaged decision-makers and public health professionals from countries throughout all stages of the modelling process. Our approach consisted of first identifying the relevant policy questions, collecting country-specific data and interpreting model findings from a decision-maker’s perspective, as well as communicating model uncertainty. We used a simple modelling methodology that was adaptable to the shortage of epidemiological data, and the limited modelling capacity, in our region. We discuss the benefits of using models to produce rapid decision-making guidance for COVID-19 control in the WHO EMR, as well as challenges that we have experienced regarding conveying uncertainty associated with model results, synthesising and comparing results across multiple modelling approaches, and modelling fragile and conflict-affected states.

scholarly journals A participatory modelling approach for investigating the spread of COVID-19 in countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region to support public health decision-making

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyrellous Adib ◽  
Penelope A. Hancock ◽  
Aysel Rahimli ◽  
Bridget Mugisa ◽  
Fayez Abdulrazeq ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Regional Office ◽  
Participatory Modelling ◽  
Public Health Decision ◽  
Epidemiological Modelling

AbstractEarly on in the COVID-19 pandemic, the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (WHO EMRO) recognised the importance of epidemiological modelling to forecast the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic to support decisions guiding the implementation of response measures. We established a modelling support team to facilitate the application of epidemiological modelling analyses in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) countries. Here we present an innovative, stepwise approach to participatory modelling of the COVID-19 pandemic that engaged decision-makers and public health professionals from countries throughout all stages of the modelling process. Our approach consisted of first identifying the relevant policy questions, collecting country-specific data, and interpreting model findings from a decision-maker’s perspective, as well as communicating model uncertainty. We used a simple modelling methodology that was adaptable to the shortage of epidemiological data, and the limited modelling capacity, in our region. We discuss the benefits of using models to produce rapid decision-making guidance for COVID-19 control in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), as well as challenges that we have experienced regarding conveying uncertainty associated with model results, synthesizing and comparing results across multiple modelling approaches, and modelling fragile and conflict-affected states.

scholarly journals A Collaborative Initiative to Strengthen Sustainable Public Health Capacity for Polio Eradication and Routine Immunization Activities in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

10.2196/14664 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. e14664
Author(s):  
Magid Al Gunaid ◽  
Faris Lami ◽  
Najwa Jarour
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Polio Eradication ◽  
Routine Immunization ◽  
Vaccine Preventable Diseases ◽  
Global Polio Eradication Initiative ◽  
Eradicate Polio ◽  
And Control

The many challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean region put the involved countries at risk of polio transmission and affect their ability to meet progress targets in eliminating vaccine-preventable diseases. The Global Health Development (GHD) and Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET) are working together on the project “Strengthening sustainable public health capacity in the Eastern Mediterranean region for polio eradication and routine immunization activities” with an overall goal of improving routine immunization, eradicating poliovirus, and controlling/eliminating or eradicating other vaccine-preventable diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The aim of this manuscript is to describe the project and the achievements of GHD/EMPHNET over the last 3 years (2016-2018) to build effective surveillance and immunization systems in the Eastern Mediterranean region through the development of a sustainable and competent public health system to eradicate polio and control/eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases. This project assists the targeted Eastern Mediterranean region countries to build effective surveillance and immunization systems in an effort to expand their capacities to eradicate polio and control/eliminate other vaccine-preventable diseases. The project is streamlined with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Strategic Framework for Global Immunization 2016-2020, and the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan 2013-2018. The project also supports the Global Health Security Agenda by focusing on efforts to accelerate progress toward a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats. Project activities were designed to respond to countries’ needs and assist them in building their institutional and workforce capacity to effectively plan, implement, and evaluate activities to eradicate polio and strengthen routine immunization activities. The project activities covered a set of areas including surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis and other vaccine-preventable diseases, family and community engagement, workforce capacity building, improvement of data quality, management and use of information systems, use of polio assets to control/eliminate other vaccine-preventable diseases, support of countries to develop national strategies, piloting of innovative initiatives, program evaluation and accountability, and immunization strengthening. The project adopts the Global Polio Eradication Initiative strategies for assisting countries to strengthen routine immunization services, maintain highly sensitive acute flaccid paralysis surveillance, and sustain polio eradication functions.

scholarly journals Emergence of novel human coronavirus: public health implications in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 1084-1085 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mamunur Malik ◽  
◽  
Jaouad Mahjour ◽  
Martin Opoka ◽  
Ali Reza Mafi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Human Coronavirus ◽  
Health Implications

scholarly journals Jordan Field Epidemiology Training Program: Critical Role in National and Regional Capacity Building (Preprint)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohannad Al Nsour ◽  
Ibrahim Iblan ◽  
Mohammed Rasoul Tarawneh
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Public Health Workforce ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Ministry Of Health ◽  
Field Epidemiology

UNSTRUCTURED Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETPs) are 2-year training programs in applied epidemiology, established with the purpose of increasing a country’s capacity within the public health workforce to detect and respond to health threats and develop internal expertise in field epidemiology. The Jordan Ministry of Health, in partnership with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, started the Jordan FETP (J-FETP) in 1998. Since then, it has achieved a high standard of success and has been established as a model for FETPs in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Here we describe the J-FETP, its role in building the epidemiologic capacity of Jordan’s public health workforce, and its activities and achievements, which have grown the program to be self-sustaining within the Jordan Ministry of Health. Since its inception, the program’s residents and graduates have assisted the country to improve its surveillance systems, including revising the mortality surveillance policy, implementing the use of electronic data reporting, investigating outbreaks at national and regional levels, contributing to noncommunicable disease research and surveillance, and responding to regional emergencies and disasters. J-FETP’s structure and systems of support from the Jordan Ministry of Health and local, regional, and international partners have contributed to the success and sustainability of the J-FETP. The J-FETP has contributed significantly to improvements in surveillance systems, control of infectious diseases, outbreak investigations, and availability of reliable morbidity and mortality data in Jordan. Moreover, the program has supported public health and epidemiology in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Best practices of the J-FETP can be applied to FETPs throughout the world.

scholarly journals Enhancing nutrition specific interventions through public health policies and public-private partnerships in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: a desk review

F1000Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
Arabia Mohammad Ali ◽  
Hassan Salah ◽  
Mataria Awad ◽  
Hammerich Asmus ◽  
Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
International Development ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
World Health ◽  
Public Private Partnerships ◽  
Development Agencies ◽  
Desk Review

Background: Public private partnerships (PPPs) in public health have been widely promoted as an effective tool for accelerating progress toward achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG2 “to eliminate hunger”. Partnership with the private sector was found to be very instrumental in improving the nutritional status of poor and food-insecure people and promoting healthy lifestyles. In countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), PPPs for nutrition actions have been mainly driven by the United Nations (UN) and international development agencies to support low and middle-income countries in achieving better health outcomes. Despite the increased prominence of engaging the private sector in public health actions in the EMR, evidence on the role of the private sector in the design/implementation of these actions is still not documented. The objective of this study is to assess the role and contribution of the private sector in the design/implementation of nutrition-specific interventions addressing the double burden of malnutrition in countries from the EMR and identify the key factors for successful PPP implementation. Methods: The study design was descriptive using secondary data obtained from digital internet sources, including World Health Organization (WHO) databases, grey literature, and websites of the UN and international development agencies.  Results: The desk review revealed that the private sector has played a sizable role in the implementation of food fortification initiatives and in the implementation of nutritional policies promoting healthy diets. The experience of the EMR shows the significant impact of government commitment, and the availability of national policies and systems for monitoring and enforcement on the sustainability and effectiveness of PPP-specific nutrition interventions. Conclusion: The study emphasizes the key actions recommended for governments to enhance the application of PPPs as a tool to accelerate the EMR’s progress toward achieving nutrition targets under SDG2 by 2030.

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