World Bank2013-08-222013-08-222002-06-10https://hdl.handle.net/10986/15312This overview of the public health situation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region focuses on the health situation in the region; demographic and epidemiological trends; activities already undertaken including assistance to improve the health of the population, identification gaps in current efforts, and the implications for a future regional public health strategy. Significant improvements in health status, morbidity and mortality have been achieved, largely through health services delivery, public health programs and socioeconomic development. Infant mortality rate has declined and life expectancy at birth has increased. Despite significant accomplishments, immense challenges stand in the way of achieving optimal health for all. Infectious diseases remain high while non-communicable diseases, and injuries increase with rapid urbanization and changing lifestyles. In conclusion, it is necessary to develop a national and regional public health infrastructure, that will include: a) training of public health personnel; b) development of public health leadership and the capacity to perform core public health functions of assessment; c) policy development and assurance; d) provision of the necessary resources and infrastructure; e) establishing diseases surveillance and information systems; f) developing partnerships for addressing public health issues; and g) integration of strategies to address public health challenges of common concern.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOACCESS TO FAMILY PLANNING SERVICESACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICESACCIDENTSACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROMEACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONSADOLESCENTADOLESCENT FERTILITYADOLESCENTSAGEDAGINGAGRICULTUREAIDS PREVENTIONAIRAIR POLLUTIONALCOHOLALCOHOL USEBASIC HEALTH SERVICESBEHAVIOR CHANGEBIRTH RATESBIRTH SPACINGBIRTHSBREASTFEEDINGBUDGET CONSTRAINTSBURDEN OF DISEASECANCERCARDIOVASCULAR DISEASECARDIOVASCULAR DISEASESCHILD HEALTHCHILD HEALTH SERVICESCHILD MORBIDITYCHILD MORTALITYCHRONIC CONDITIONSCHRONIC DISEASECHRONIC DISEASESCLIMATECOMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROLCOMMUNICABLE DISEASESCOMMUNITY ACTIONCOMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTCOMMUNITY HEALTHCONDOM PROMOTIONCONTRACEPTIVE USECOVERAGEDEATHSDEVELOPMENT PROJECTSDIETDISASTERSDISCRIMINATIONDISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMENDISEASE CONTROLEARLY DETECTIONENVIRONMENTAL HEALTHEPIDEMICSEPIDEMIOLOGICAL TRANSITIONFAMILIESFAMILY PLANNINGGENDERGIRLSHEALTHHEALTH CAREHEALTH CARE FINANCINGHEALTH CARE SERVICESHEALTH EXPENDITUREHEALTH EXPENDITURESHEALTH FINANCINGHEALTH FOR ALLHEALTH INDICATORSHEALTH INTERVENTIONSHEALTH NEEDSHEALTH POLICIESHEALTH POLICYHEALTH PROFESSIONALSHEALTH PROGRAMSHEALTH PROJECTSHEALTH PROMOTIONHEALTH SECTORHEALTH SERVICESHEALTH STATUSHEALTH SYSTEMHEALTH SYSTEMSHEART DISEASEHIGH FERTILITYHIV INFECTIONHUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUSIMMUNIZATIONIMMUNIZATIONIMMUNODEFICIENCYINCOMEINFANT MORTALITYINFANT MORTALITY RATEINFANT MORTALITY RATESINFECTIOUS DISEASESINJURIESINJURY PREVENTIONINTEGRATIONINTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONSINTERVENTIONIODINE DEFICIENCYIRONISOLATIONLAWSLIFE EXPECTANCYLIFESTYLESLIVING CONDITIONSLIVING STANDARDSLOW -INCOME COUNTRIESLOW- INCOME COUNTRIESLOW-INCOME COUNTRIESMALARIAMALNUTRITIONMATERNAL HEALTHMATERNAL MORTALITYMEDICAL WASTESMORBIDITYMORTALITYNATIONAL HEALTHNGOSNON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONSNUTRITIONNUTRITIONNUTRITION INTERVENTIONNUTRITIONAL STATUSOBSTETRIC CAREPARTNERSHIPPHYSICAL ACTIVITYPOPULATION GROWTH RATESPREGNANT WOMENPRIMARY CAREPRIMARY HEALTH CAREPRIMARY HEALTH CARE SERVICESPUBLIC HEALTHPUBLIC HEALTH SERVICESQUALITY OF LIFEREFUGEESREPRODUCTIVE HEALTHREPRODUCTIVE HEALTH INDICATORSREPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICESROAD SAFETYROLE IN SOCIETYSAFETYSANCTIONSSEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASESSEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONSSMOKINGSOCIAL DEVELOPMENTSOCIAL SERVICESSTISTETANUSTOBACCOTOBACCO CONTROLURBAN POPULATIONVACCINATIONVACCINE PREVENTABLE DISEASESYOUNG ADULTSYOUNG GIRLSYOUTH HEALTHHEALTH SERVICE MANAGEMENTHEALTH SERVICESMORTALITYMORBIDITYHEALTH PROVIDERSHIV INFECTIONSACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROMELIFE EXPECTANCY (HUMAN)FERTILITY RATEMATERNAL MORTALITYINFANT MORTALITYEPIDEMIOLOGYWorld Bank10.1596/15312