Under the auspices of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, May Allah protect him, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is organizing the Global Conference on Healthy Lifestyles and Non-communicable Diseases in the Arab World and Middle East, from 10 to 12 September 2012, to be held at Prince Sultan Grand Hall, al-Faisaliyah Hotel in Riyadh.
On this occasion, His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, expressed his deep appreciation and gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for his gracious patronage of the conference. “It reflects the Leadership's close attention paid to the health sector, and the Ministry's colossal efforts in an endeavor to provide integrated and comprehensive healthcare for the Saudi citizens and residents,” he said. And then he added, “The conference reiterates the Kingdom's commitment to the Political Declaration of the Meeting of the General Assembly's High-level Panel on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases, adopted by the presidents and representatives of countries on September 19, 2011.”
Dr. Al-Rabeeah welcomed participants in the conference, coming along from within and without the Kingdom: ministers, experts, regional and international organizations. He wished for them a nice stay, and effective deliberations, to come up with certain recommendations meant to enhance the efforts exerted by the ministries of health of the regions' countries, so as to maintain people's health, meet their demands, and fulfill the governments' aspirations.
The MOH Spokesman, Dr. Khaled Mohamed Merghalani, for his part said, “The conference will be attended by 62 specialized experts, coming along from local, regional and international bodies and authorities, in addition to 15 Arab ministers of health. The conference will be held in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO), and will be attended, also, by the delegations of the ministries of health, the ministries of foreign affairs, the ministries of planning of the member-states the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region and the Arab League, as well as representatives of the UN programs, agencies and funds. In addition, it is expected that many international financial institutions, development banks and international organizations, aside from specialized experts from all over the world, will participate in the conference.”
According to Dr. Merghalani, the conference aims at 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.
The conference will tackle a number of pivotal issues related to the most updated information on the extent of non-communicable diseases, and their impact on the national plans and strategies that have to do with public health, as well as social and economic development. It will also discuss the strategies, tools and objectives internationally approved, as well as a variety of efficient, cost-effective interventions to be taken into consideration by the region's states in an endeavor to enhance the national plans and policies associated with surveillance and prevention, and improve the healthcare provided for patients with non-communicable diseases, as well as strengthening the regional and international relations in the face of such diseases; thus providing a better environment in the Arab World and the Middle East, thereby improving lifestyles and providing better health options, and promoting all the national capacities related to the prevention and on non-communicable diseases.
It followed that Dr. Merghalani enumerated a number of the authorities, agencies and scientific societies taking part in the conference; most notably the General Presidency of Youth Welfare, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Higher Education, the Food and Drug Authority, the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCHS), King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, the Ministry of Islamic Affair, Endowments, Da'wah and Guidance, Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the MOI's Health Services General Department, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Culture and Information, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the MOD's Health Services General Department, the National Guard's Health Affairs, Saudi Aramco, the Council of Health Services (CHS), the GCC General Secretariat, King Fahad Medical City, the Ministry of Economics and Planning, Saudi Oncology Society, Saudi Heart Association, Saudi Thoracic Society, Saudi Diabetes & Endocrine Association, Saudi Osteoporosis Society, Saudi Ophthalmological Society, and Saudi Hypertension Society (SHAMS).
Dr. Merghalani went on to say that round-table discussions will be held immediately after the inauguration, with the participation of a number of ministers and specialists.
It is noteworthy, the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCHS) has accredited 20 continuing training hours for participants in the conference.