The Advisor to HE the Minister of Health for Regions Affairs, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Committee and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 78th Conference of GCC Health Ministers Council, Dr. Ali bin Qassim Al-Qahtani, said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the Ministry of Health (MOH), welcomes their Excellency the GCC health ministers participating in the conference. He lauded the unlimited support shown by the rulers, may Allah protect them, for facilitating and supporting the holding of the conference. He further explained that the MOH has completed its preparedness for the success of the activities of this conference to be hosted in the capital city of Riyadh on 15th-16th Rabei II, 1436H, corresponding to 4th-5th February, 2015, under the theme: “Measuring Health Systems: The Way to Excellence”.
He pointed out that the conference comes in the context of the activities of the Council’s 40th session and will discuss four main topics, covering the technical, administrative and organizational aspects of the Council and its executive board through six working sessions. The two-day sessions will discuss many joint health issues including combating non-communicable diseases, cancer control, standards and regulations of cooperation with the Gulf health associations, anti-smoking, occupational health, statistical bulletin and major health indicators, scientific conference for administrative and financial affairs at the ministries of health, the expatriates, polio as well as the e-linking portal between the information centers in the GCC states and executive board, enhancing the health information systems, and smart card, in addition to the unified procurement and central pharmaceutical registration.
Dr. Al-Qahtani added that the Ministry will submit a technical working paper on a separate axis under the theme “Measuring Health Systems Performance: The Way to Excellence”, pointing out that the conference will come up, upon its conclusion, with important decisions reflecting the development of the health services in the GCC states. Also, the conference activities will witness the signature of Riyadh Document relating to this topic.