The 37th session of the 72nd conference of the GCC Health Ministerial Council concluded at the Al Bustan Palace Hotel in Muscat on Wednesday.
“A set of decisions were taken by the GCC ministers on combating noncommunicable diseases (NCD) including adoption of the GCC Supreme Council’s Resolution No 32 of the Riyadh Summit in 2011 to serve as the main course of action in this regard,” Al-Mirghalani said, adding that the Saudi team was led by Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah.
The conference was chaired by Omani Health Minister Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Saeedi. In his opening remarks, Al-Saeedi called for concerted efforts by the GCC countries to keep the region free of health problems. He said the conference deliberations were transparent and its decisions are constructive for the good of all GCC nations.
The chairman of the last session Abdullah bin Khaled Al-Qahtani, GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif Al-Zayani and Director General of the Executive Office of the GCC Health Ministers Council Tawfiq Khoja also addressed the gathering.
The recommendations included a comprehensive program to fight against noncommunicable diseases, improved health care, patient safety, psychiatric health, eradication of measles and German measles, health leadership promotion in GCC countries, unified tenders for purchases, central drug registration, uniform pricing and expatriate workforce.
The delegates also approved the Muscat Declaration on the economies of curbing noncommunicable diseases and the establishment of a national commission in each member country to undertake implementation of the diseases combating plan. The Muscat Declaration called for setting up an international referral agency for the economies of noncommunicable diseases under the umbrella of the United Nations.
The conferees also decided to benefit from the sultanate’s paper on role of health committees in upgrading health services, improving health indicators and quality of life and enhancing community health programs executed by civil society in partnership with the respective states.
Al-Mirghalani also said the council decided on a unified plan to implement program to develop the health care facilities and services available in the GCC countries for mental health. The discussions also focused on the mental state of the mothers, children and adolescents and the need to counsel them to face the growing challenges in the society with confidence.
The council also agreed to strengthen immunization campaigns against measles and the inclusion of these campaigns among the programs to reduce the import of deadly virus to the GCC countries. They also decided that the GCC countries should create a public awareness among people on the importance of vaccination against rubella in their respective countries.
On the sidelines of the conference, an exhibition was held to display the efforts made by the GCC countries to combat the non-communicable diseases.
Prior to the council's meeting, the Executive Authority of the GCC Health Ministers Council held a preparatory meeting for the 37th session of the 72nd Conference of the GCC Health Ministers Council and discussed the developments after the 7th meeting of the Executive Council. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Khoja.
