Today, the Regional Health Alliance (RHA) concluded its meeting on strengthening regulatory systems, enhancing local production and improving the procurement and supply chain of medical products through collaboration and partnership. The meeting ended with a strong commitment to accelerate equitable access to medical products across the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Hosted by the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean in Cairo, the hybrid meeting brought together senior representatives from WHO, including from country offices in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan and Tunisia, and from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank.

Participants emphasized that equitable access to safe, effective and affordable medical products is a public health imperative. Discussions highlighted the need for harmonized regulatory frameworks, investment in local manufacturing and innovative procurement strategies to build resilient supply chains.