The growing prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCD)—such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease—is increasing the burden on health systems in the Middle East and Africa. Infectious diseases exact a heavy toll in some regions and rates continue to rise, but with demographic shifts, NCDs now account for 30% of all diseases in sub-Saharan Africa. Further, 2.2 million deaths from NCDs now occur yearly in the Eastern Mediterranean. The region has also seen rapid growth in technological resources, including mobile health tools, big data, and artificial intelligence that can better prevent, detect, and respond to existing and emerging diseases. Deployment of data tools demonstrates benefit against these global threats, with an important potential for use in areas lacking adequate access to healthcare facilities. Recent experience offers lessons in preventing, detecting, and combating emerging diseases.