A warm welcome to all health leaders, partners and stakeholders joining us for the 73rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean #EMRC73! 🌍 We’ll come together from 13 to 15 October to discuss the health priorities shaping our Region and chart the way forward. Follow the discussions live: emro.who.int/about-who/rc73/… #Partners4Health

Millions of people in the Eastern Mediterranean Region suffer from serious illnesses that cause physical, emotional and social pain, whether they are living with cancer or are affected by conflict or displacement, which can cause additional distress. None of them should live or die in manageable pain. Instead, they should: 🔵receive palliative care that helps preserve their dignity and improve their quality of life 🔵have access to and appropriately use oral medicines that are safe, effective and essential for pain relief. Yet many patients still cannot obtain the relief they deserve because of overly restrictive regulations, fear of addiction among health workers and the public, weak supply chains, and gaps in training.