Oman earns kudos for health aid

MUSCAT: The Government of Oman has contributed $50,000 per year for a period of five years as part of the long-term Yellow Fever Initiative, informed a top level delegation from the World Health Organisation Headquarters (WHO-HQ), who are currently on a visit to the Sultanate.
"Oman is the first donor for the Yellow Fever Initiative in the Middle East region," noted Dr Marie-Paule Kieny, assistant director general of the Information, Evidence and Research Cluster, WHO-HQ.
"The cost of the long-term initiative is estimated at around $300m. "We hope to see more countries from the Middle East following the Sultanate's step in supporting the Yellow Fever Initiative," the WHO experts said. According to WHO, around 45 endemic countries in Africa and Latin America, with a combined population of over 900 million, are at risk due to the
yellow fever.
In Africa, an estimated 508 million people live in 32 countries which are at risk. The remaining population at risk lives in 13 countries in Latin America, with Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru being at greatest risk.
There are an estimated 200,000 cases of yellow fever (causing 30,000 deaths) worldwide each year. Small numbers of imported cases occur in countries free of yellow fever. Although the disease has never been reported in Asia, the region is at risk because the conditions favourable for transmission are present
in Asia.
Besides acknowledging and appreciating Oman's contribution to Yellow Fever Initiative, the delegation also explored the potential of Oman's role in the roll out of programmes on health security, hepatitis, food safety and meningitis.
Dr Kieny stressed of the importance to come up with an integrated strategy on hepatitis in the region. She also pointed out that there is a need for a greater collaboration in relation to integration.
"Larger policy should be put in place," she said.
The delegation also looked into ways to promote global health innovative research and intellectual property, and explored the collaborative areas in regional vaccine self-reliance. "It is important to get access to vaccines for the population," she noted.
H1N1 pandemic
Referring to the H1N1 pandemic, Dr Marie-Paule Kieny said Oman did very well in H1N1 pandemic to get access to vaccines.
"It was the first country, which is not producing the vaccine to be able to have access to vaccine," she said.
Dr Marie-Paule Kieny stressed that self-reliance in vaccines would take time.
"This project should be regional more than national. It is important to have a vision for the project," she said. "In OIC countries, there are eight vaccine producers. But still, there is a lack of trained and skilled human resources as well as quality management. In fact, there should be a curriculum to build human capacity and a new dimension and approach in the vaccine self-reliance," she noted.
The team of WHO-HQ is led by Dr Marie-Paule Kieny includes Ludy Suryantor, external relations and partnerships officer, Katherine Barker, technical officer, Resource Mobilisation and Partnerships, and Inge Leutscher, WHO consultant.
During their visit to the Sultanate, the delegates met top officials in the government institutions such as the ministries of health, foreign affairs, regional municipalities and water resources. Dr Kieny also met with the Austrian ambassador to the Sultanate and spoke about aspects related to biosafety.
The delegates also met officials of the National Research Council, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of National Economy.
Every year WHO technical experts visit Oman and many WHO-supported national activities take place. Recently, WHO and the Ministry of Health prepared the
Country Cooperation Strategy, 2010-2015 (CCS).
This strategic reflects the medium term vision of WHO technical cooperation with Oman.
The main areas of support is towards further development of the health services with a focus on innovative ways for better health financing and management and consolidating Oman's health achievements through quality assurance, evidence-based research and interventions, development of essential medicines management, health information system and building capacity of the health providers as well as the health administrators.
According to sources from WHO office in Oman, health promotion and disease prevention continue to be an important pillar of the work of WHO in Oman.
Rapid lifestyle changes in Oman is leading to unhealthy dietary habits, limiting physical activity and the spread of tobacco use which are the basis of a dramatic rise in chronic diseases like diabetes, heart diseases and cancer.
Partnership development and alliance building is key for implementation of many interventions as well as the new and emerging issues in Oman such as road safety, occupational health, environmental health, health effects of climate change and health security.

Yellow fever key facts (Source: WHO)
* Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhage disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. The "yellow" in the name refers to the jaundice that affects some patients.
* Yellow fever infection can cause severe illness and death. Up to 50% of severely affected persons without treatment will die from yellow fever.
* There are an estimated 200 000 cases of yellow fever, causing 30 000 deaths, worldwide each year.
* The virus is endemic in tropical areas of Africa and Latin America, with a combined population of over 900 million people.
* The number of yellow fever cases has increased over the past two decades due to declining population immunity to infection, deforestation, urbanisation, population movements and climate change.
* There is no cure for yellow fever. Treatment is symptomatic, aimed at reducing the symptoms for the comfort of the patient.
* Vaccination is the single most important preventive measure against yellow fever. The vaccine is safe, affordable and highly effective, and appears to provide protection for 30-35 years or more. The vaccine provides effective immunity within one week for 95% of persons vaccinated.
vironmental health, health effects of climate change and health security.