Public health refers to organized efforts to prevent disease, promote health and prolong life among the population as a whole (1,2). Good public health is among the primary responsibilities of ministries of health of all countries, and Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region are no exception. Equally, helping countries improve their capacity to avert, and when needed respond to, public health challenges is among the primary responsibilities of WHO. Noble as it is, good public health requires countries to develop their public health system, establish structures and acquire the necessary resources. One way of doing so is by implementing essential public health functions (EPHFs). These are an indispensable set of actions, under the primary responsibility of the State, that are fundamental to achieving the goal of public health through collective action (3).