Saudi health ministry launches rapid response team training program

Saudi health ministry launches rapid response team training program
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Updated 11 October 2022

Saudi health ministry launches rapid response team training program

Saudi health ministry launches rapid response team training program

RIYADH: The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization, on Monday launched the five-day rapid response team training program for 2022 as part of health emergency preparedness activities.

Participating will be 42 trainees from different health directorates and representatives from all regions of the Kingdom.

The WHO has developed a training package, which includes a set of educational materials and guidance tools to support member states in planning, activating and evaluating the training of rapid response teams.

The program aims to strengthen the readiness systems of member states, provide the necessary support and guidance to implement a sustainable plan, and improve the skills of rapid response teams, qualifying them to work as trainers in the field.

Training will be conducted in an interactive manner that includes lectures and simulations, delivered by personnel accredited by the WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Meanwhile, Saudi Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel on Sunday inaugurated the World Health Forum and its accompanying exhibition, which will be held until Tuesday at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center.

More than 26,000 people from 30 countries are expected to attend the event, which represents the largest forum for healthcare professionals in the world.

The forum aims to integrate the public and private sectors, provide investment opportunities, enable dialogue aimed at achieving the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and advance digital transformation in the healthcare sector.


Saudi authorities foil plot to sell 4.1m pills of controlled drug

Saudi authorities foil plot to sell 4.1m pills of controlled drug
Updated 10 sec ago

Saudi authorities foil plot to sell 4.1m pills of controlled drug

Saudi authorities foil plot to sell 4.1m pills of controlled drug
  • 6 people arrested, including 3 Egyptians, 1 Saudi

RIYADH: Six people have been arrested in Riyadh in connection with an attempt to sell almost 4.1 million tablets of a controlled drug, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The arrests followed an investigation into gangs linked to the smuggling and distribution of drugs inside the Kingdom, Maj. Marwan Al-Hazmi, a spokesman for the General Directorate for Narcotics Control, said.

Three of the suspects were of Egyptian nationality, one was Sudanese, one Yemeni and one a Saudi citizen. They have all been referred to public prosecutors and preliminary legal measures have been taken against them

Anyone with information or suspicions about drug-related activities can call 911 in the Makkah, Riyadh and Eastern Province regions, or 999 in the rest of the Kingdom.
 


Saudi Green Initiative celebrates World Reef Day

Saudi Green Initiative celebrates World Reef Day
Updated 2 min 14 sec ago

Saudi Green Initiative celebrates World Reef Day

Saudi Green Initiative celebrates World Reef Day
  • SGI initiatives helping protect and regenerate Kingdom’s reefs
  • Coral reefs known as ‘rainforests of the sea’ due to rich biodiversity, ecological significance

RIYADH: The Saudi Green Initiative is celebrating World Reef Day by recognizing initiatives taking place to protect and regenerate the Kingdom’s stunning ocean habitats.
The annual World Reef Day on June 1 raises awareness about the importance of coral reefs and the urgent need to protect them.
The SGI was launched in 2021 under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to help protect the planet and combat climate change with three targets: Reducing harmful emissions, foresting and protecting land and sea.
Under the SGI, Saudi Arabia has committed to protecting 30 percent of its land and marine area and is working with international groups such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature to safeguard and restore the natural ecosystems and pristine landscapes of the Kingdom.
“The SGI is highlighting Saudi Arabia’s commitment to national environmental conservation with a month of activity to raise awareness around the Kingdom’s conservation efforts,” a statement from the initiative said.
It said that Saudi Arabia is rich in marine life, and that the Red Sea is home to one of the longest continuous living reefs on earth. Its corals are uniquely resilient and can survive rises in water temperature that would bleach or kill others elsewhere in the world, it added.
Scientists are now studying Red Sea corals to see if they can be used as a basis for coral restoration and survival around the world, said the SGI.
The initiative has a series of programs that will protect and regenerate the Kingdom’s reefs. They include:
The National Center for Wildlife is developing a national strategy by 2025 for the sustainable use of coastal and marine areas to conserve marine biodiversity and reduce damage to reef habitats.
The KAUST Reefscape Restoration Initiative, in partnership with NEOM, is one of the largest reef restoration and conservation programs in the world. The first phase of the initiative is a 100-hectare restoration project at Shushah Island, approximately 20km off the coast. The effort will be a mix of reef conservation, replanting, and restoration; corals will be grown in a nursery before being transferred to the reef.
The Reef Revive Initiative, led by the Baa Foundation, KAUST and Beacon Development, will reduce reef damage using techniques such as transplantation. Reef stewardship is being encouraged by engaging and training local dive operators in coral restoration.
Red Sea Global is establishing a 6,693 km2 ‘no-take’ Marine Protected Area as part of the proposed new Special Economic Zone around the AMALAA and the Red Sea project developments.
World Reef Awareness Day was first observed in 2018 by the Coral Restoration Foundation. Its purpose is to draw attention to the deteriorating state of coral reefs worldwide due to various threats such as climate change, pollution, overfishing, and destructive fishing practices.
The theme this year is “Reef resilience: Protect, restore and sustain” to emphasize the need to take action to ensure the long-term survival and health of coral reefs, which are important breeding and spawning grounds for a wide variety of creatures.
Reefs sequester an estimated 200,000 tons of carbon annually. They protect the world’s coasts by providing a natural barrier against high tides, and minimize the impact of storm surges.
Covering less than 1 percent of the world’s ocean floor, reefs are home to more than one million species, or a quarter of all marine life, including 4,000 species of fish.
The so-called ‘rainforests of the ocean’ are under threat from pollution, rising water temperatures due to climate change and damage caused by fishing and diving activities. Estimates suggest that 90 percent of the world’s coral could disappear by 2050 if action is not taken to save them.


Saudi ambassador presents credentials to German President Steinmeier

Saudi ambassador presents credentials to German President Steinmeier
Updated 29 min 33 sec ago

Saudi ambassador presents credentials to German President Steinmeier

Saudi ambassador presents credentials to German President Steinmeier
  • Prince Abdullah conveyed a greeting from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

RIYADH: Prince Abdullah bin Khalid has presented his credentials as Saudi ambassador to Germany to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

During a reception in Berlin, the prince conveyed a greeting from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wishing the people of Germany continued progress and prosperity.

He also affirmed the Kingdom’s keenness to strengthen friendly relations between the two countries.

Steinmeier welcomed the ambassador and asked him to convey his greetings to the king and crown prince, and his best wishes to the people of Saudi Arabia.
 


Saudi Health Ministry ready to ensure disease-free Hajj

Saudi Health Ministry ready to ensure disease-free Hajj
Updated 31 May 2023

Saudi Health Ministry ready to ensure disease-free Hajj

Saudi Health Ministry ready to ensure disease-free Hajj
  • Integrated system of health control centers is being set up at the ports of entry, which will be completed before the beginning of the Hajj season
  • Health ministry will distribute leaflets and broadcast awareness programs on screens in the halls in languages such as Urdu, French and English

JEDDAH: The health of incoming pilgrims will be monitored at 14 ports of entry to the Kingdom via land, sea, and air during this Hajj season.

The Ministry of Health said that it has set a number of health requirements to prevent diseases coming into the country, maintain health security and provide preventive and curative services during the Hajj season.

An integrated system of health control centers is being set up at the ports of entry, which will be completed before the beginning of the Hajj season.

The ministry is keen to raise health awareness for pilgrims and their families upon their arrival in the Kingdom with awareness initiatives. It will distribute leaflets and broadcast awareness programs on screens in the halls in languages such as Urdu, French and English, among others.

Officials said that entry point health services were the first line of defense for Hajj. Health experts will also take precautionary measures in accordance with global developments and international health regulations that apply to those coming to Hajj, their luggage and transport.

Medical services will be provided at Jeddah Islamic Port, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, Prince Abdul Mohsin bin Abdulaziz Airport in Yanbu, Taif International Airport, Al-Batha Port, Empty Quarter Port, Salwa Port, King Fahd Causeway, Al-Raqa’i Port, Jdeidet Arar Port, Al-Haditha Port, Halat Ammar Port, and Al-Wadiah Port.

The centers will be staffed at all times, stocked with medical supplies such as vaccines and equipped with isolation rooms and ambulances to transport sick cases to hospital.

Food brought in by pilgrims will also be inspected by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and the Customs Authority.

The Health Ministry will record the number of incomers, and report preventive measures applied in their countries of origin and at the ports through the Health Electronic Surveillance Network.

The ministry also provides other preventive services including vaccines for the target countries and preventive treatment for those coming from the African meningitis belt.

Officials at the ministry will coordinate with international organizations such as the World Health Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization, and ensure that all pilgrims receive the necessary immunizations before traveling.


Saudi authorities thwart qat-smuggling bids in Jazan

Saudi authorities thwart qat-smuggling bids in Jazan
Updated 31 May 2023

Saudi authorities thwart qat-smuggling bids in Jazan

Saudi authorities thwart qat-smuggling bids in Jazan
  • 100 kilograms of qat were seized drugs and handed over to relevant authorities

RIYADH: Saudi border guards in the Jazan region recently foiled attempts to smuggle 100 kilograms of qat.

The seized drugs have since been handed over to the relevant authorities, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Anyone with information or suspicions about drug-related activities or promotion can call 911 in the Makkah, Riyadh, and Eastern Province regions, and 999 in the rest of the Kingdom.