EMRO Commission on Social Determinants of Health

S p e c i f i c a l l y , t h e C o m m i s s i o n w i l l :

World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO/EMRO) is convening a Commission on SocialDeterminants of Health (SDH) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. The Commission is jointly being convened by WHO/EMRO, theAlliance for Health Policy and Systems Research (AHPSR) and the Institute for Health Equity at the University College London(IHE/UCL). Professor Sir Michael Marmot will chair this Commission. The Commission aims to establish a comprehensive evidence baseof health inequalities in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, the factors which drive such inequalities; and assess practical ways ofaddressing these within the context of the Member States of the Region, including those facing conflict and emergencies. TheCommission will work over a period of one year: from October 2019 to September 2020. There will be three meetings held in November2019, April and July 2020, together with virtual meetings. A final report will be prepared, to be published by WHO/EMRO and presentedto EMR Regional Committee.

Analyze and present existing data on health inequalities and socialdeterminants of health, including conflict in the Eastern Mediterraneancontext;

Document actions being taken by international organizations,governments, NGOs, civil society and communities to address theseissues;

Build knowledge and evidence for action and offer practical, specificrecommendations to reduce health inequalities;

Provide strategic guidance on developing plans for equity includinggovernance and monitoring systems for health equity; and

Identify opportunities to build capacity through research and evaluationof health inequities, and programs for action; and establish knowledgenetworks across the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

W H O G l o b a l a n d R e g i o n a l s t r a t e g i c v i s i o n s a n d p r o g r a m m e s

Advancing universal health coverage – 1 billion more people benefiting from universal health coverage,Addressing health emergencies – 1 billion more people better protected from health emergencies,Promoting healthier populations – 1 billion more people enjoying better health and well-being.

WHO's Thirteenth General Programme of Work (GPW 13) 2019-2023 is firmly based on the 2030 Agenda forSustainable Development. The mission is to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. GPW 13sets three global targets to be achieved in five years:

Expanding universal health coverage by building equitable, resilient health systems based on primary health care,a people-centred approach and quality and safe services; and focusing on implementing the recommendations of the Salalah Declaration on Universal Health Coverage of 2018; by ensuring that at least 100 million more people benefitfrom universal health coverage by 2023. Addressing health emergencies through forecasting, comprehensive preparedness, prompt response and well-planned recovery guided by the humanitarian, development and peace nexus; and focusing on ensuring access tohealth services during emergencies, initiating early recovery and promoting the transition to health and fosteringpeace. Promoting healthier populations by advocating for Health in All Policies, multisectoral action, communityengagement and strategic partnerships with focus on addressing the social and economic determinants of healthacross the life course, addressing risk factors for health including NCDs and injuries, and leaving no one behind. Making transformative changes in WHO by reforming the Organization's business models, systems and culture inthe Region to ensure that it is fit for business, accountable and a dynamic catalyst in health; by focusing on creatingan enabling working environment; strengthening and streamlining strategic communications as a core function; byincreasing the availability and sustainability of financial resources for WHO-supported health programmes in the Region; by optimizing the use of those resources, and strengthening WHO's country presence.

Thirteenth General Programme of Work

EMR Vision 2023

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Dr Iman NuwayhidProfessor and Dean of the Faculty ofHealth Sciences (FHS) at theAmerican University of Beirut (AUB),Lebanon. He is American BoardCertified in Occupational Medicine andan elected fellow to the CollegiumRamazzini. He currently co-chairs "TheLancet-AUB Commission on Syria:Health in Conflict".

Dr Hoda RashadProfessor and Director of the SocialResearch Center at The AmericanUniversity in Cairo. She is a resourceperson and consultant to a number ofnational and internationalorganizations, including the WHOCommission on Ending ChildhoodObesity.

Prof K. Srinath ReddyPresident of Public Health Foundationof India (PHFI). He works as AdjunctProfessor of Epidemiology at Harvard(2014-2023). He is also an AdjunctProfessor of the Rollins School ofPublic Health, Emory University andHonorary Professor of Medicine at theUniversity of Sydney.

Dr Anita ZaidiShe is the Director of the Bill andMelinda Gates Foundation Programson Vaccine Development, Surveillance,and Enteric and Diarrheal Diseases, aswell as a Co-Director of the Maternal,Newborn & Child Health Discovery &Tools program. She has publishedmore than two hundred researchpapers.

Professor Senait FissehaReproductive endocrinologist, infertilityspecialist, and a global leader inexpanding access to reproductivehealth services. She has publishedmore than 50 scholarly articles andserves on the board of the Ethio-American Doctors Group.

Dr Stephen GloydFamily practice physician and long-time Professor of Global Health andHealth Services at the University ofWashington. Dr Gloyd is ExecutiveDirector of Health AllianceInternational, a no-profit organizationthat provides support to Ministries ofHealth in Mozambique, East Timor,Ivory Coast, and Sudan.

Professor Bagher LarijaniProfessor of Endocrinology at TehranUniversity of Medical Sciences. He isDeputy Minister of Medical Education,founding Director-General and Chiefscientific officer of Endocrinology andMetabolism Research Institute, andActing Director of Medical Ethics andHistory of Medicine Research Center.

Dr Salwa NajjabDirector of the Juzoor Foundation forHealth & Social Development, aPalestinian NGO that works to promotehealth as a basic human right. Leadingexpert in the areas of Public Health,Reproductive, Maternal and ChildHealth, Health and SocialDevelopment, Women’s Health Rights,Family Planning.

Dr David BishaiPhysician and leading healtheconomist. He is a Professor in theJohns Hopkins University, Departmentof Population, Family, andReproductive Health. He publishesregularly in Health Economics andJournal of Health Economics. He ispresident of the International HealthEconomic Association.

Dr Abdirizak Ahmed DalmarHe is an ophthalmologist, and holds aPh.D from University College London.He works as visiting Senior Lecturer ofCommunity Ophthalmology andMedical Statistics at Benadir UniversityMedical College. He is co-founder andchairman of "first Somalia" focused ondisaster resilience.

Prof. Rajae El Aouadis currently Director of ClinicalLaboratory. She is Resident Member ofthe Hassan II Academy of Sciencesand Technology (HIIAST) and aMember of the Steering Committee ofthe Royal Institute for Strategic Studies(IRES). She holds a Doctorate ofMedical Studies, a Master of Sciencesand a Master of Health Policy andManagement.

Dr Assad HafeezExecutive Director of the HealthServices Academy, a public healthinstitution mandated by theGovernment of Pakistan. He is theDean of Faculty of Medicine in Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, andDirector General of Health in theFederal Ministry of Health Services,Regulations and Coordination,Islamabad.

Prof Sir Michael Marmotis currently the Director of the Institute of HealthEquity and Professor of Epidemiology and PublicHealth, University College London. Sir Michaelhas led a research group on health inequalitiesfor the past 40 years. He chairs the Departmentof Health Scientific Reference Group on tacklinghealth inequalities. He was a member of theRoyal Commission on Environmental Pollutionfor six years and is an honorary fellow of theBritish Academy.

Dr Rowaida Al-MaaitahProfessor at the Department of Community andMental Health Nursing at Jordan University ofScience and Technology (JUST). Dr Al-Maaitahhas held numerous key positions includingSenator in the Upper House of the JordanianParliament, Minister for GovernmentPerformance and Minister of SocialDevelopment.

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