Ashraf AboArafe
Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom, praised the organization’s strategic partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its effective role in alleviating health suffering in a number of countries and regions of the world, including Sudan, the Gaza Strip, Yemen, Somalia, support for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, and health support in Ukraine.
Adhanom expressed his deep gratitude to the Kingdom for its generous support in responding to humanitarian crises in the world during the past five years, which contributed to treating malnutrition, cholera and malaria and rehabilitating the health system in crisis areas, noting that each contribution represented a transformation in helping vulnerable groups.
The World Health Organization welcomed the support of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center to address global health challenges, including emergencies.
The World Health Organization added that over the past years, the Kingdom has been among the largest countries contributing to the organization, as the World Health Organization announced in Geneva today the signing of funding agreements with the King Salman Relief Center worth 19.4 million US dollars, directed to programs in three countries: Yemen. Sudan and Syria.
She stressed that this support will enhance the organization’s work in the three countries, and provide health services to vulnerable communities suffering from conflicts, disease outbreaks, and weak health services, as the generous contribution of five million dollars in Sudan will ensure the provision of life-saving dialysis treatment for people suffering from kidney failure in 77 countries. A dialysis center throughout Sudan. The project includes purchasing 100 dialysis machines and supporting kidney centers that provide basic services.
The organization explained that since Syria is still suffering from the effects of the 2023 earthquake, 4.75 million US dollars have been allocated to support recovery efforts there, and about 350,000 people will directly benefit from this support through the provision of medicines and basic supplies, and 4.1 million will also benefit. Person of diagnostic consultations and ambulances.
In Yemen, approximately US$9.5 million has been allocated to support the organization’s efforts in responding to disease outbreaks, including measles and cholera, as well as strengthening water, sanitation and hygiene services in health facilities by ensuring sustainable clean water supplies to the most vulnerable population groups, and through these Initiatives The organization will provide medical services and health care to 12.6 million Yemenis.
For her part, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr. Hanan Balkhi, said: “This contribution from the King Salman Relief Center has an effective role in supporting efforts to serve the most vulnerable communities, while the organization continues to address the dire consequences of multiple emergencies in the region.”
She expressed her gratitude for this much-needed support, which will improve access to urgently needed health services and, God willing, will lead to better health outcomes.
