Within the framework of the Global Conference on Healthy Lifestyles and Non-communicable Diseases in the Arab World and Middle East, to be organized by the Ministry of Health, under the auspices of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, from 10 to 12 September, 2012, at Prince Sultan Grand Hall – Al-Faisaliah Hotel, six workshops, centered on various topics, will be held with the participation of a number of government bodies and authorities.
This statement was made by the head of the Media, Relations and Events of the Conference, the MOH Spokesman, Dr. Khaled al-Merghalani. He further explained that the conference will witness a workshop on the obligation food labels, including all the necessary nutritional information (calories, etc.). This workshop will be basically assumed by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in coordination with the Food and Drug Authority.
Another workshop to be hosted by the conference will be assumed by the Youth Welfare General Presidency under the theme: “Sport for a Better Life”. A third workshop, to be assumed by the Ministry of Agriculture, will shed light on nutritional balance, and how to choose balanced and healthy food. Besides, there will be a workshop on the use of technology in health awareness, and how to make best use of social networks (open to all). A fifth workshop will discuss how to enhance medical researches that have to do with non-communicable diseases (open to all). The last work shop is devoted to discussing anti-smoking (open to all).
Dr. al-Merghalani pointed out that crucial among the objectives appointed for the conference were: raising the political awareness of the roles and responsibilities to be assumed by governments in combating non-communicable diseases, which are on the rise, and reducing their hazardous effects on the public health, as well as accentuating social and economic development in the Arab World and Middle East, putting forward the necessary regional strategies for the fulfillment of the political commitment. The conference is hoped, also, to serve as an international and regional forum reiterating that the governments' objective can only be attained when health is reckoned by all sectors as an indispensable constituent element in all policies, and taking this criterion into account when choosing officials, leaders, and decision makers.