WHO DG inaugurates new premises for Tunis-based health risk reduction center
New hi-tech premises housing WHO's Mediterranean Centre (WMC) for Health Risk Reduction in the Tunisian capital, Tunis, have been inaugurated by Director-General Dr Margaret Chan.
This global center is a multi-faceted hub that incorporates trainings and learning, disaster risk and vulnerability mapping, research, and information management and sharing, as well as being a meeting and conference centre for health and non-health subjects.
The centre serves Members States, WHO, the Global Health Cluster and health sector partners to build institutional and human capacities and skills for public health to, in turn, improve the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable populations.
The inauguration ceremony, held 12 July 2010, was attended by Dr Hussein Gezairy, Regional Director of the WHO office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Tunisian Minister of Health Dr Mondher Zenaidi, who is also President of the 63rd World Health Assembly, UN partners, representatives of diplomatic missions and the media.
WHO's presence in Tunisia dates back to 1997 with the establishment of the WMC. It has since expanded to become a global centre addressing health risk reduction issues and activities. A WHO Representative office was also established in Tunisia in 2005.
WHO's new premises are expected to help expand programs and activities to serve Tunisia, as well as consolidate the centre as a global hub serving the entire Organization, Members States, plus UN and NGO partners, in the field of health risk reduction.
The five-storey facility offers conference spaces supported by IT facilities that ensure web casting, video streaming and video conferencing, as well as an information center providing access to WHO publications, data bases and critical health information.
During the inauguration, a demonstration was conducted of WHO’s operational capacity in emergencies by use of right orange mobile field tents donated by the Russian Federation that are used to support health cluster coordination in acute emergencies.
Contact details:
WHO Mediterranean Centre (WMC) for Health Risk Reduction
Rue du Lac Windermere | BP 40,
1053 Les Berges du Lac | Tunis, Tunisia
Tel: +216 71 964 681 / 964 178 | Fax: +216 71 964 558
info@wmc.who.int