JEDDAH, 24 November 2006 — The Third International Conference on Child Health ended yesterday with calls to ensure children’s rights and health.
“This was one of the most successful conferences,” said Dr. Yasser Al-Ghamdi of the Health Affairs Department in Makkah Region. “The event was spread over three conferences: Saudi Child Day, the Third International Conference on Child Health, and the First International Pediatric Endocrinology Conference & Workshops.”
Around 1,500 participants attended the lectures by 120 doctors and experts from various countries including Europe, America and East Asia.
“The five-day conference helped in setting up the recent Saudi criteria for children’s growth,” said Al-Ghamdi.
The conference held at Jeddah Hilton was opened by Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishal ibn Majed on behalf of Interior Minister Prince Naif, who is also the president of the Saudi Pediatric Association.
The event, launched on Sunday to mark the Saudi Child Day, discussed many issues concerning children’s rights in Saudi Arabia. It also discussed the current situation and made recommendations on how to make the environment congenial for children.
The conference tackled issues such as a child’s health from the medical point of view. Major sessions focused on neonatology, nephrology, a health profile of Saudi children and adolescents, genetics and metabolism, neurology and cardiology.
Dr. Robert Minns, consultant pediatric neurologist, presented two lectures, one on shaken-baby syndrome — a form of child abuse when a newborn received brain injuries by being shaken, often as a form of discipline — and the other on hydrocephalus, or children born with abnormal fluid buildup around the brain.
“Pediatrics is internationally known as being a risky field,” said Minns. “It is different and difficult. This conference succeeded in bringing up many important issues regarding children’s health.”
On Wednesday, the sessions discussed diabetes among children, pediatric endocrinology. Yesterday’s conference was focused on allergies, respiratory and infectious diseases, and made final recommendations.
Participants called for forming a committee of experts under the supervision of the Ministry of Social Affairs to solve problems concerning domestic issues.
The conference stressed that procedures must be implemented urgently to kick-start family courts, which is currently in the works. Judges, the participants said, should be specialized in family issues. Other recommendations include: Compiling statistics on domestic violence; launching a special TV channel devoted to family issues; establishing wards in hospitals for children between the ages of 13 and 18; and incorporating handicapped children into the mainstream society at an early age.
Event coordinators and participants said the growing problem with obesity should be addressed with awareness-raising campaigns, forums and promotion of physical education. (PE classes are currently banned in girl’s primary and high schools.)
As for diabetic children, the conference suggested that new techniques of insulin treatment must be available, such as insulin sprays and pumps. The conference concluded with a call to increase awareness about the importance of breast-feeding and vaccines and medical exams for newborns.
