Population, Health and Nutrition
 Egyptian women receive care for themselves and their families at clinics offering integrated health services. (Photo: Pathfinder International)
MIDDLE EAST HEALTH PROGRAMS
Egypt, Jordan, West Bank/Gaza and Yemen
CONTACTS
Gary Cook
Senior Health Advisor
Tel: (202) 712-0707
Email: gcook@usaid.gov
Overview
One in 22 children dies before reaching age five and the
lifetime risk of maternal death is a staggering one in 140 in the Middle East
and North Africa region. These rates are five and 57 times higher,
respectively, than those of developed countries. Tuberculosis, malaria and
avian influenza are also of concern in some countries in the region. USAID works with partners to improve
health services and systems, update policies, advise communities on healthy
practices and conduct research to further improve health.
Programs
Keeping Mothers and their Children Healthy
A high percentage of women in the Middle East and North
Africa are at risk of dying due to anemia and hemorrhaging during pregnancy and
childbirth. Using community outreach approaches and clinic care, USAID programs
increase the percentage of skilled birth attendants at delivery which saves
mothers' lives. In Egypt today, 50 percent fewer women die during pregnancy and
70 percent fewer infants die in the first year of life, compared with the
1970s.
About one in seven infants in the region has low birth weight,
which negatively impacts
chances for survival and long-term health and psychosocial development.
USAID provides technical and commodity assistance to expand basic health
services, increase access to nutrition supplementation and treat diarrhea. USAID
addresses other diseases that kill children by educating communities about
hygiene and promoting immunization. USAID programs in Yemen improve routine
immunization surveillance systems to help identify infectious disease outbreaks
earlier.
Savung Lives with Family Planning
With nearly half the region's population under age 24 and
lacking family planning services, expanding these services is critical. USAID's
continued investment in innovative family planning programs has led to
sustainable partnerships that leverage resources and increase access. In Jordan, through
community outreach, more than 500,000 women have been counseled on family
planning, and 45,601 new acceptors of modern methods have been reported. As
a result, more couples can choose when to have children, which increases the chances
of survival for both mother and child.
Fighting Infectious Diseases
Infectious diseases account for 32
percent of the region's disease burden, and USAID programs strengthen the response
capacity of health systems and improve access to prevention, treatment and
support services. One of USAID's largest avian influenza (AI) programs is in Egypt, which has the
third largest number of poultry outbreaks and human cases in the world. In Egypt, USAID
has supported numerous communication activities, including the creation and
distribution of AI posters and pamphlets and the production of television spots
to build awareness
about AI and prevention methods.
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