Ashraf AboArafe
In Cairo, where the timeless Nile flows as both witness and guardian of history, health leaders, policymakers, and experts gathered this week under the auspices of the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO/EMRO).
The setting was not incidental: within a hotel resting quietly by the river’s edge, a five-day consultative meeting unfolded, carrying with it a message of renewal and resilience. Just as the Nile sustains life along its banks, this dialogue sought to nourish the future of health governance across the Region.
The meeting focused on strengthening the science and data systems that guide health decisions—essential to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
During the first two days, participants examined the initial findings of the global assessment on the SCORE for Health Data Technical Package (Survey, Count, Optimize, Review, Enable), developed in 2024 by WHO and partners to help nations track progress, identify gaps, and refine their policies. Draft country profiles were also circulated for national review and feedback, forming the foundation of a forthcoming global health data report expected by the end of 2025.
From Cairo’s banks, where the Nile whispers of continuity and connection, a call resounded: let data become the thread of universal well-being, binding nations together on a path of dignity, equity, and shared health for all.
