The closing declaration of the normal 31st session of the Council of the Arab Ministers of Health, which have been convened recently in Algiers, adopted the resolution of the Council of the Arab Ministers of Health No. (11), whereby a specialized technical committee for improving the works of the council has been formed. The committee has been formed under the title: "Improving the works of the Council of the Arab Ministers of Health, its executive office, and technical committees". Dr. Tawfeeq bin Khoja, the General Manager of the Executive Office of the GCC Council of the Ministers of Health has been appointed as the chairman of the committee, which is assigned for reformulating the improvement document of the works of the council, amending its articles of association, and setting a time plan for executing the improvement plan in coordination with the technical secretariat of the Council of the Arab Ministers of Health. The Ministers of Health also agreed to invite the Technical Panel of the Council Secretariat to a meeting for discussing the findings of the committee whenever it finishes its works. A report of the whole case shall be raised to the Council of the Arab Ministers of Health during its forthcoming session. The Ministers also confirmed the importance of establishing a headquarters for the technical committee of the Council of the Ministers of Health under the supervision of the Assistant Secretary General for Social Affairs. They assigned the Chairman of the Executive Office to address the Arab League Secretary General on this matter.
On his part, Dr. Tawfiq Khoja expressed his appreciation to the Arab Ministers of Health for their valuable trust. He said this selection reflects the respectable status occupied by the Kingdom on Arabic and international levels.
He said he hopes to be granted success in upgrading the work of the council, in undertaking his responsibilities of improving the council, in coping with the new international trends in health applications, in his efforts to meet the standards of WHO and other international health organizations, and in trying to benefit from experiences of other countries, especially countries of similar health situations, such as Malaysia.
"The work of the committee shall be confined to applying the performance improvement concepts, with special concentration on a number of major topics regarding improvements to the council rules, executive bylaws, and organizational charter", he said. "We will also work on improving manpower and creating a department for follow up as well as activating scientific aspects, forming technical specialized committees, boosting the role of primary health care, and creating modern developmental health programs".
He said work is now under way in formulating the council's mission, visions, goals and objectives, denoting that the committee shall work for reaching the ministries of health in the different Arab countries for gathering views of improving the work of the council. Contacts shall be made with member countries for opening the doors for dialogue leading to concrete proposals and definite priorities during the forthcoming stage.
Finally, he said utmost care shall be taken in choosing the members of the committee from among highly qualified and experienced personalities in the different technical, administrative, financial, and improvement aspects.