GCC health undersecretaries' meeting begins in Doha

The third meeting of the committee of GCC health undersecretaries began in Doha on Wednesday.
Chaired by Qatar, the meeting discussed a range of important issues foremost of which being a report on the GCC supreme council and the ministerial council resolutions on the health sector as well as the resolution of the supreme council, issued during its 9th session on the equal treatment of GCC citizens in benefiting from health services at governments public clinics and hospitals.
The GCC health undersecretaries' meeting also discussed issues of health finance, comprehensive health coverage, coordination and unification of GCC stances at international health blocs and strategic dialogues pertaining to the health field, in addition to cooperation with the Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Turkey in health areas.
The meeting addressed the coordination of GCC states efforts regarding dealing with emergency cases and crises with regard to pharmaceuticals, vaccines and medical supplies, in addition to Kuwait's proposal to form a committee with members from GCC health ministries to develop an awareness program for celiac disease and anti-smoking.
Supreme Council of Health's Assistant Secretary General for Medical Affairs Dr Saleh bin Ali Al Marri highlighted the importance of the topics discussed during the meeting which he said would further contribute to the development of health services in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
Dr Al Marri added that the meeting represented a qualitative addition to the course of health cooperation in the GCC countries, pointing out that its recommendations will be presented to the GCC health ministers at their next meeting which will be held in Qatar in October.
GCC Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Development Affairs Dr Abdullah bin Juma Al Shibli hailed the important efforts undertaken by the GCC ministries of health to promote and develop joint action in the health field.
He thanked the Qatari leadership for its support to the GCC joint action, praising the outstanding efforts made by Qatar in hosting and organizing the third meeting.
Dr Al Shibli stressed the keenness of the undersecretaries of the ministries of health's committee on promoting and advancing joint cooperation as well as the joint action in health sector.
The GCC Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Development Affairs explained that the meeting's agenda included important topics and would come out with positive results that would contribute to enhancing the provision of quality healthcare to the GCC peoples and enhancing joint action in health sector in the GCC countries.
Source: QNA