Communicable diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: prevention and control 2010-2011/Maladies transmissibles dans la Region de la Mediterranee orientale: prevention et lutte, 2010-2011

One-third of all morbidities and mortalities in the Eastern Mediterranean Region are attributed to communicable diseases. A continued situation of war and conflict, and growing political unrest in the Region, coupled with factors such as travel and migration, and insufficient infrastructure and inadequate technical and managerial capacity of the programmes are the major challenges. Despite these challenges, the Region continued making progress towards the elimination of specific diseases such as lymphatic filariasis, measles, malaria, schistosomiasis and dracunculiasis during 2010-11. Coverage for vaccine-preventable diseases was enhanced. Preparedness and response to emerging (e.g. dengue fever in Pakistan and Yemen) and re-emerging (e.g. cholera in Sudan) infections was improved. The Region has continued its efforts for controlling tuberculosis and curbing HIV/AIDS. Looking ahead, the Region aims to improve surveillance and response capacities, legislation issues, coordination, bio-risk and bio-security and quality management in the coming years. Un tiers de l'ensemble des morbi-mortalites dans la Region de la Mediterranee orientale sont imputables aux maladies transmissibles. Une situation continue de guerres et de conflits, des troubles politiques croissants dans la Region, associes a des facteurs tels que les deplacements et la migration et une infrastructure insuffisante ainsi qu'une capacite gestionnaire et technique inadaptee des programmes representent les principales difficultes. Malgre ces difficultes, la Region a continue a progresser vers l'elimination de maladies specifiques telles que la filariose lymphatique, la rougeole, le paludisme, la schistosomiase et la dracunculose en 2010-2011. La couverture pour les maladies evitables par la vaccination a ete elargie. La preparation et la riposte aux infections emergentes (telles que la dengue au Pakistan et au Yemen) et reemergentes (comme le cholera au Soudan) ont ete ameliorees. La Region a poursuivi ses efforts pour lutter contre la tuberculose et endiguer l'epidemie de VIH/sida. En perspective, la Region vise a ameliorer les capacites de surveillance et de riposte, les questions de legislation, la coordination, le risque et la securite biologiques ainsi que la gestion de la qualite dans les annees a venir.