Since 2000, most countries have made progress in expanding health coverage and reducing economic hardship related to health costs, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank Group.
However, the poorest still bear the greatest burden of unaffordable health care costs, with an estimated 4.6 billion people still lacking access to essential health services.
At Qatar’s Doha Forum, an annual gathering of global policy leaders, CNN spoke to Dr. Hanan Balki, WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean region, where conflict and economic instability pose major health challenges.
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
CNN: What are the most pressing gaps in building resilient health systems across the Middle East?
Hanan Balki: The Eastern Mediterranean region is home to 750 million people, including 42% of the world’s displaced population and large numbers of migrants. There are also a significant number of countries under sanctions or experiencing significant economic fragility or conflict.
It has been extremely difficult for us to recover these countries from the economic and health conditions that COVID-19 has imposed on them.
However, the region’s health sector is also plagued by other challenges, including migration of health workers, lack of easy access to health care, and shortages of vital medicines and blood products. It also has problems dealing with issues such as gender-based violence and mental health issues.
So the health sector is already vulnerable. Covid-19 has added to the stress on the health sector, and sanctions, conflict, war and displacement have made the region an extremely difficult place to work.
CNN: What is the role of the WHO in today’s political climate, both regionally and globally?
Mr. Balki: The WHO is considered the center of global health in terms of setting standards and guidelines and harmonizing the way we practice medicine for the best people. This ensures that all populations are provided with the bare minimum necessary and that no one is left behind. WHO will continue to fulfill its role.
We have 194 member states. We work with them and with governments and non-governmental organizations. Our role is to continue negotiations and discussions and to ensure that we always find ways to reach those in need.
We also have a major role to play in ensuring the spread of disease is prevented by identifying and notifying outbreaks and preparing national responses. We also support member countries in eliminating diseases. The last two countries in my region that have not yet eradicated polio are Pakistan and Afghanistan. We are working hard toward that goal with partners such as the Gates Foundation, Rotary International, and other United Nations agencies.
CNN: What does fair and equal access to health care look like in the Middle East?
Balki: The issue of access is very complex. Because we not only need to make sure that medical products are safe and affordable for people, we also need to ensure that people have access to health care facilities, and that those facilities have competent health care providers with the right tools.
The Eastern Mediterranean region is burdened by a lack of access, as there are large numbers of displaced people, many countries under sanctions or economically weak, and large numbers of migrants.
So what we’re trying to do now is make this region self-sufficient from country to country. We’re making sure that governments have competent regulators and that they can talk to each other and discuss how to strategize the production of medicines and medical devices.
CNN: What is one public health issue that you don’t think the world is paying enough attention to?
Balki: I wish the world would be more united on health issues in general. As someone who has worked in the health field for 25 years, I feel that the entire public health agenda does not receive enough consistent space. They are usually only done in response to large-scale disasters like the coronavirus pandemic.
But if we think of health as an investment in healthier lifestyles and more productive communities that support our economies, then we believe that prioritizing public health issues will truly benefit our member countries’ ability to prosper and become self-sufficient.
