Executive office of Arab Health Ministers wraps up deliberations

The Executive Office of the Council of Arab Health Ministers, headed by Kuwaiti Minister of Health, Dr. Ali Al-Obeidi, wrapped up its deliberations here on Wednesday by approving the draft agenda in preparation for refering it to the 41st round of the Council of Arab Health Ministers to be held on Thursday. The minister told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that the meeting discussed several items, including projects and decisions on the agenda for discussion during the meeting of the Council of Arab Ministers of Health tomorrow at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Arab League. He added that most critical of these items was the issue of health and humanitarian conditions for the displaced Syrians, noting that members of the Executive Office discussed the situation not only in the neighboring countries of Syria, but in all Arab countries states. He said that the Executive Office has adopted the final draft of the Arab strategy to combat AIDS and expressed his sincere thanks to the team which set up this Arab achievement, adding that technical committees have been formed to look into the possibility of forming a strategy dealing with maternal health. He explained that the meeting also discussed preparations for the Arab economic and developmental summit which will be held in Tunisia in 2015, noting that there are a number of projects that will be forwarded to the summit including Kuwait's proposal for the establishment of an Arab center for patients' rights. Al-Obeidi in this context stressed the need for these issues to be subjected to the requirements and standards, especially with regard to funding sources for these projects, after being approved by the Economic and Social Council. He said the meeting also discussed the report of the Preparatory Committee for the meeting which will be held in Peru between the Health Ministers of Arab States and the countries of South America, where it was stressed the need for participation of Arab countries in those meetings to exchange experiences and approve the recommendations that are in favor of the two groups. The Kuwaiti minister said the meeting also dealt with the subject of Arab integration in the Arab countries, praising the role played by different teams in this aspect especially the establishment of two blogs where the first deals with drug vigilance while the other is concerned with the vital interdependence. He said the meeting also dealt with chronic non-communicable diseases, stressing the need for the commitment of all Arab countries to the document of the State of Kuwait in this regard for the consequences of these diseases of negative effects on citizens in particular. The meeting kicked off earlier today.