26 February 2025

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Partners,

We are gathered here today to discuss an extremely grave and urgent matter.

A matter that destroys individuals, tears families apart and eviscerates communities.

A situation that has only worsened in recent years and―in many corners of our region―is spiralling out of control. 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I begin my intervention with some uncomfortable truths.

Around the world, an estimated 5.6% of people have used drugs in the last 12 months.

In our region, that figure goes up to 6.7%.

In fact, the Eastern Mediterranean has one of the highest burdens of substance use globally.

With cannabis, opium, khat and tramadol topping the list as our narcotics of choice.

A 2019 study found that no less than 3.4 million people in the Eastern Mediterranean had drug use disorder, a more than twofold increase over a period of twenty years.

And the region counts more than 31,000 deaths per year associated with substance use disorders.

Only 1 in 13 people receive treatment, and the quality of that treatment varies significantly.

Treatment for substance use disorder is seldom a one-off because addiction is a chronic disease.

Data suggests that more than two-thirds of individuals with opioid use disorder return to substance use within a year of treatment.

In addition to the vast social costs, substance use is associated with mental health conditions, hepatitis, tuberculosis and cardiovascular diseases.

In our region, nearly one fifth of drug users are living with HIV, and more than half suffer from hepatitis C.

As a wife, mother and physician with a deep knowledge of our culture and values, I find these numbers truly shocking.

Since taking office as WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, I have made battling substance use a flagship of my tenure, because I understand that addiction and the social decay it causes stand in the way of health and prosperity for all.

Our goal, OUR COLLECTIVE GOAL, is to sustainably reduce the morbidity, mortality and social costs of substance use in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Because we cannot have health for all, without health for the most vulnerable.

Progress on substance use can serve as a catalyst for change, driving progress towards protecting people from preventable health risks and enabling them to lead healthier lives. 

That requires:

1. Fewer people trying drugs in the first place;

2. More people accessing better treatment; and

3. Better monitoring, surveillance and data.

We will achieve this with a focus on five main areas of work, these are:

1. Treatment not criminalization;

2. Robust evidence-based public health interventions that

a. promote healthy lifestyles

b. develop healthy family and social environments; and

c. ensure equal access to education and vocational training

3. Cooperation among public, private and civil society stakeholders with support from UN agencies.

4. Implementing international treatment standards; and

5. Reliable and objective national and regional data.

The WHO Regional Flagship Initiative on Substance Use works with countries and development partners to step up public health action on substance use across the Region.

We can bring stakeholders together with the world’s leading experts to share best practices, and to support the development of guidelines, tools and evidence for action.

But ONLY YOU can lead that change.

ONLY YOU can tear down barriers to treatment such as stigma and criminalization.

AND ONLY YOU can catalyse action towards your national response. 

We must address critical gaps in our policies, legislation, and service delivery to prevent substance use, promote mental health, empower persons with lived experience, engage communities, provide treatment, and facilitate recovery.

I am grateful to the National Rehabilitation Centre in Abu Dhabi for convening this policy dialogue with such a diverse and dedicated group of stakeholders.

Over the next three days, we aim to forge a consensus on the implementation of the regional flagship initiative, one that is informed by real-world experiences and the best available evidence.

I eagerly look forward to our deliberations and thank you for your commitment to health for all, including the most vulnerable.