The Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) has been enduring protracted conflicts and political instabilities that have led to complexities within its communities. These complexities range from the displacement of populations to the spread of epidemics and the weakening of health systems.

To address these issues, EMPHNET conducted a webinar titled; Navigating Challenges in Humanitarian Action: The Example of the Eastern Mediterranean Region. This webinar was hosted on January 16, 2024, starting a series of webinars set to tackle the challenges faced when responding to humanitarian crises. Following up with the discussion initiated in that session, EMPHNET conducted the second part of this series. The second session in the series is titled; Eastern Mediterranean Region from Crisis to Solutions.

Held on February 27, 2024, this series instalment focused on challenges discussed in the earlier webinar, mainly relating to limited access to resources, personnel, and funding, as well as the enforcement of humanitarian international law. It also provided insights from the field within conflicted areas in the EMR, namely, Gaza and Sudan, and it offered a space for the sharing of best practices and lessons learned from past humanitarian responses.

These discussions and insights were provided by three subject experts namely: Professor of Surgery ,Director of the NAAMA Foundation Trustee, and Hebron University President, Professor Omar Lattouf; Consultant Physician, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, and Health and Nutrition Director at Save the Children, Sudan, Dr. Bashir Kamal Eldin Hamid El Sanousi; and Thematic Lead of Health, and Care at IFRC-MENA Regional Office at the Health, Disasters, Climate, and Crises (HDCC) Unit, Dr. Haytham Qosa.

The session was facilitated by the Team Leader of the Public Health Emergency Management Center at EMPHNET, Dr. Haitham Bashier and Public Health Expert and Professor at the Department of Community and Family Medicine, at the College of Medicine, Baghdad University in Iraq. Dr Faris Lami.

In his presentation titled “The First International Conference to Rebuild Health Sector in Gaza”, Dr. Latouf stated that the conference titling his talk was held to bring together the world’s most capable medical and healthcare professionals, and leaders from governments, private sectors, and civil societies to produce a report and road map to repair, rebuild, and modernize the health sector in Gaza.

He stated that the health system in Gaza should be rebuilt over four stages. In the first stage, the focus should be on responding to the current state of emergency. This is to be achieved through providing specific primary care such as wound care, emergency medicine, and field medicine. More specifically, this phase focuses on reducing morbidity and mortality through managing the spread of disease, infections, and malnutrition. He then explained that the second phase focuses on transition, where efforts should be geared towards the building of field hospitals, the utilizing mobile clinics, and increasing the health workforce.

The third and fourth phases focus on reconstruction and sustainability respectively. In the reconstruction phase focus should be placed on ensuring that health systems emerge more robust and intelligent than before. It involves signing a commitment to infrastructure preparedness, necessitating a substantial foundation for primary healthcare facilities, consultation spaces, and related infrastructure. Finally, the sustainability stage requires a flexible and adaptive post-conflict reconstruction approach.

Second speaker Dr. El Sanousi gave a presentation titled “Humanitarian Challenges”, during which he focused on the situation in Sudan. He stated that about 65% of the population lack access to healthcare and between 70 to 80% of hospitals in conflict-affected areas are no longer functional. He then added that suspected cholera cases continue to increase, with over 10,700 suspected cases, including 292 associated deaths, reported as of 17 February 2024.

Despite these conditions, delivering humanitarian assistance in an active conflict is a huge security and logistical challenge, and the international humanitarian response has been unable to keep pace with the scope and scale of Sudan’s crisis. He then spoke about Save the Children’s intervention in Sudan referring to its implementation of 35 emergency response programs, including cholera response in several states as well as operating 80 health facilities in 10 states. He concluded his presentation by stating that they way forward is to have peace in Sudan, as it is only in peace that financial, logistical, and communication challenges could be overcome.

The webinar’s third speaker, Dr Qosa gave a heartfelt message in which he stressed the importance of providing access for humanitarian response and that this access is not only related to security but also acceptability, yet this endeavor is hindered due to the politicizing of humanitarian aid, further affecting the situation on the ground. He stressed that it is imperative to build resilient health systems through localization and the building of local capacities. He also stressed on the importance of adopting short-term flexible plans that focus on preparedness and not just response. From another angle, he recommended the investment in new technologies and green energy.

Following the presentations, Dr Basheir Q&A session, where participants and presenters engaged in the discussion. He then concluded the session by thanking the speakers and the attendees for their participation. Over 180 public health professionals attended the webinar, deeming it another success in the EMPHNET WEBi Series.