Amman, May 11 (Petra) – World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Hanan Balkhy, said on Monday that health systems in the region are facing continuous pressure and a critical shortage of nurses and midwives, warning of declining investment in the vital sector.

Balkhy said in an online seminar marking International Day of the Midwife (May 5) and International Nurses Day (May 12) that about a third of the countries in the region have not reached the minimum health workforce density, and that successive crises have exacerbated the challenges facing frontline workers, according to a WHO statement.

She said the region saw about 42 percent of global attacks on healthcare facilities and 90 percent of resulting deaths in 2025, with 67 percent of attacks directly targeted healthcare workers.

Balkhy referred to the WHO’s regional flagship initiative on investing in a resilient health workforce, through supporting regional countries in workforce planning, transforming education and training towards digital learning, and strengthening governance to ensure quality and accountability.

She said nurses and midwives are the backbone of the health systems, comprising more than half of the global health workforce, but they cannot continue to bear the burden without real protection, sustainable investment, and recognition of their pivotal role in primary healthcare, particularly in most complex areas.

//Petra//SS

11/05/2026 17:44:37