The Director-General of the Executive Board of the GCC Health Ministers Council, Dr. Tawfik Khoja, has confirmed that coordination and the joint GCC health work are going on by leaps and bounds to combat the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
On Monday morning, upon launching the 83rd regular meeting of the Executive Board of the GCC Health Ministers Council, the two-day meeting to be held at the premise of the Executive Board of GCC Health Ministers Council, located in the Embassies District, Riyadh, he added that there is a periodic and continuous review for the measures taken by the Kingdom and the GCC countries in this respect. He pointed out that the Executive Board will discuss tomorrow a number of topics including, the unified procurement, adopting the necessary recommendations regarding the pharmaceutical tenders, hospital supplies tender, artificial kidney tender, and oral and dental care tender, as well as the supplies necessary for laboratories and blood banks, the supplies needed for cardiovascular surgeries, interventional radiology, ear, nose and throat (ENT) supplies, in addition to the supplies necessary for orthopedic and spinal surgeries, medical rehabilitation supplies, as well as updating rules, regulations and mechanisms of the Unified Procurement Program.
Likewise, Dr. Khoja said that the executive board will discuss also the issue of central drug registration, drug pricing, among other technical topics including nutrition and micronutrients, the Expatriates Program, health quality and patients safety, infection control, combating non-communicable diseases, mental health, World Conference on Obesity and Diabetes, World Health Survey, the morbidity burden in the GCC countries, media and health improvement, establishing advanced information center in the Executive Office. Among the issues to be covered by the meeting, also, according to Dr. Khoja, are a number of other administrative and regulative issues, such as the Board’s budget, the depository credit fund, research, developing and improving work in the Executive Board, expanding the Board's headquarter, as well as the special celebration on the occasion of 40th anniversary of giving and excellence.
"Besides,” said Dr. Khoja, "the meeting will be discussing preparations for holding the 80th Conference of GCC Council of Health Ministers and approving of the agenda proposed to the ministers."
During his speech, Dr. Khoja extended his most sincere condolence to the Wise Leadership, and to the families of the martyrs and to our citizens in United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kingdom of Bahrain on the passing of our brave soldiers, who were martyred while performing their duty in the defense of the right, standing up for our brothers in the Yemen, and in the face of the arrogance of the "Houthi" militia and the forces loyal to the ousted Yemeni president, Ali Abdullah Salih. "This will only strengthen our determination, and make us even more resolute to keep on our march to restore hope for the Yemen, Allah willing, and eradicate forces of evil that wasted the resources of the Yemeni people," he underlined. He prayed for Allah Almighty to bestow his mercy on them, to rest them in eternal peace among the martyrs.
In another context, Dr. Khoja reviewed the developmental program of the Executive Board, in collaboration with the specialized experience house, Price Water House Cooper "PWC" specialized office. He added that, after one year of continuous work of study, investigation, research and analysis, PWC has come out with substantial outcomes that helped in providing us with new horizons of systematic development for the work of the Executive Board and the esteemed council.
He indicated that His Excellency the Saudi Minister of Health, and the chairman of the 40th session of the Council, Eng. Khalid Al-Falih, has bound himself to supporting the Board's developmental movement; by means of attracting a number of experts to put into effect the Resolution no. 5 issued in the 79th conference of the GCC Health Ministers in Geneva regarding developing and improving the work environment in the Executive Board.
In conclusion, Dr. Khoja lauded the unprecedented efforts exerted in this respect by His Excellency the Minister of Health in Saudi Arabia and the Chairman of the 40th session of the GCC Health Ministers Council, Eng. Khalid Al-Falih