Reflections from the WHO EMRO meeting

Reflections from the WHO EMRO meeting

Tuesday, 9 December 2014

IAPO Governing Board member Hussain Jafri attended the WHO Regional Committee meeting for the Eastern Mediterranean region in Tunis, Tunisia from 19 to 22 October 2014.

He shared a few thoughts with us.  

How did you represent IAPO at the WHO Regional Meeting?

I made interventions at the following sessions:

I met different delegations including a delegation from Pakistan and discussed the involvement of patients in healthcare. Moreover, I also discussed patients issues in the region with the WHO Regional Director, Dr Ala Alwan (pictured). He promised to invite me to a regional meeting regarding patients involvement in healthcare soon. 

I also held a meeting with Dr Sameen Siddiqi, EMRO Director, Health System development. He was quite keen to work on patients safety and promised to involve patients in this work.    

What were your personal highlights?
  • The Regional Committee is more responsive to patients input.
  • The important issues in the region are: universal health coverage (UHC), non communicable diseases (NCSs), maternal and child, emergency preparedness and health system strengthening.
  • WHO is willing to engage with patients in the region

I also learnt about the key issues concerning the region and how the region is moving forward in achieving their goals in this regard.

*Photo of Dr Alwan and Mr Jafri at the WHO meeting