MOH News

Al-Jalajil: Corona Pandemic Made us Stronger, more Experienced, and well Prepared in Crisis Management
24 May 2023


His Excellency the Minister of Health, Mr. Fahd bin Abdul Rahman Al-Jalajil, stated that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will participate in two important events next year, which are the United Nations Declaration on Antimicrobial Resistance, and the Kingdom's hosting of the fourth high-level ministerial conference on Antimicrobial Resistance scheduled to be held in November 2024.
His Excellency stressed that this comes from the Kingdom’s belief in applying the One Health approach, and seeking to respond to public health risks, the most important of which is the threat of antibiotic resistance, hoping that these efforts will contribute to reducing this silent epidemic, finding effective and sustainable solutions thereto, and raising readiness and preparedness for it and for other threats to public health at regional and international levels.
This came during His Excellency heading the Kingdom's delegation to the 76th session of the World Health Assembly at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 21 to May 30, under the slogan " World Health Organization Seventy-fifth Session: Saving Lives, Leading Health for All."
HE Minister Al-Jalajel added that the Kingdom affirms its endeavor to achieve the principles included in the leaders’ statement during the Kingdom’s presidency of the Group of Twenty in the year 2020, which coincided with the beginning of Covid-19 pandemic, including the need to find long-term solutions to address the gaps in procedures for preparing for and responding to global pandemics, and subsequent establishment of an international pandemic fund, the Kingdom's donation to contribute to this fund, and its emphasis on the importance of continuing hard work at all international, regional and national levels to address epidemics and pandemics.
Al-Jalajel added, "Today, in our meeting, we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization, and we affirm our lofty goals, our continuous pursuit, our non-stop efforts to maintain and save lives, and our continuous work to advance health for all."
His Excellency appreciated the efforts made by the organization and member states to amend the International Health Regulations, as well as the ongoing negotiations to draft the Pandemic Treaty, which aims to find additional legal tools to deal with future pandemics, and avoid obstacles and challenges that the world faced in combating Covid pandemic.
It is noteworthy that this session of the World Health Assembly comes after the World Health Organization declared on May 5 that the emergency of COVID-19 pandemic is no longer a global health emergency. The Kingdom has shown remarkable success in addressing the epidemic and overcoming its repercussions, and has become a model for many countries in effective crisis management and health preservation. This was achieved by the grace of Allah, and then with the unlimited support of the wise leadership that put human health first, and as a result of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which drew an early road map for transformation of the health sector and had a direct impact in addressing the epidemic through many qualitative initiatives and projects.
 





Last Update : 24 May 2023 02:42 PM
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