On Wednesday morning, the 78th Conference of the GCC Health Ministers Council, in its fortieth round, was kicked off. The conference currently held in Riyadh was opened by the Minister of Health, Mr. Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khateeb. During the first session, the participants listened to a report on the achievements and activities of the Executive Board in the thirty- ninth round. The report was presented by the Executive Board’s Director-General, Dr. Tawfiq bin Ahmed Khojah.
On the first day of the conference, Dr. Mariam Al-Jalahmah, the Assistant Deputy Minister for the Primary Healthcare and Public Health in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and member of the Executive Board of the GCC Health Ministers Council, presented a paper titled “Non-Communicable Diseases Control”, as part of the technical affairs pivot. On this paper, Dr. Al-Jalahmah reviewed the resolution No. 2 issued by the GCC states’ Health Ministers’ Council’s 76th conference, held in Kuwait on 4/1/2014, and the resolution No. 3 of the 77th conference, held in Geneva on 21/5/2014. She also touched upon the outcomes and recommendations of the urgent meeting of the Gulf Committee on Non-Communicable Diseases, took place in Bahrain on 5/6/2014. She also tackled the outcomes and recommendations of the meeting of the Gulf Committee on Non-Communicable Diseases in Dhul-Hijjah, 1435H, as well as the recommendation No. 1 for the 81 meeting, held in Riyadh, in Safar, 1436H.
Similarly, Dr. Qais Al-Duwairi, the Assistant Deputy Minister for Technical Affairs in Kuwait, and member of the GCC states’ Health Ministers’ Council Executive Body, presented a paper titled “Combating Smoking”. On this paper, Dr. Qais brought up the recommendation No. 3 for the 80th meeting the Health Ministers’ Council Executive Body, held in Riyadh, on 29/4/2014, and the outcomes and recommendations of the international conference “Cancer Scourge in the Gulf Region”, took place in Riyadh from 20 to 22/10/2014, under the theme “Abridging Gaps”. He also touched upon the recommendation No. 3rd of the 81st meeting held in Riyadh, in Safar, 1436.
On another paper titled “Cooperation Standards and Regulations with the Health Gulf Associations”, Dr. Qais reviewed the repercussions of the No. 6th resolution of the 77th conference, held in Geneva on 21/5/2014, and the recommendation No.32nd of the 80th meeting of the Health Ministers’ Council in Riyadh. He also brought up the recommendations of the meeting of the Specialized Gulf Committee on setting the standards and regulations of cooperation with the health gulf associations, held in Riyadh, in Dhu'l-Qadah, 1435.
Still, the events of the first day involved Dr. Al-Jalahmah presenting a paper titled “Combating Smoking”. On this paper, Dr. Al-Jalahmah raised the resolution No. 4th issued by the GCC states’ Health Ministers Council 77th conference, held in Geneva, on 21/5/2014. She also went on to review the updated gulf plan on combating tobacco from 2015 to 2030, and the outcome and recommendations of the advisory meeting on imposing a ban over advertising about tobacco, promoting it and sponsoring it in drama, held in Cairo from 24 to 25/8/1425H. Further, she touched upon the outcomes and recommendations of the six -party conference in Moscow, from 13-18/10/2014; and the recommendation No. 5 of the Health Ministers Council 81st meeting, held in Riyadh, in Safar, 1436.