GCC Launches Disease Prevention, Control Center

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) RIYADH, Oct 22 (KUNA) -- The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) health ministers Saturday launched a disease prevention and control center previously approved by the GCC Supreme Council during the Sultan Qaboos and sheikh Sabah's summit in January 2021.
This came during the eighth meeting of the GCC Health Ministers committee headed by Saudi Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel, the GCC Secretariat said in a statement.
Kuwait's Health Minister Ahmad Al-Awadhi led the country's delegation to the meeting in which GCC Secretary General Nayef Al-Hajraf was present.
The center aims to boost coordination, knowledge and evidence to control communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Speaking to KUNA on the sidelines of the meeting, Dr. Al-Awadhi said the gathering is a new circle in the GCC path, referring to distinguished efforts made in preparing the topics of the agenda to meet aspirations of GCC citizens and achieve further progress in health systems performance.
Challenges facing the GCC health systems in terms of enhancing health and security and providing medicine and medical equipment were vital in the meeting in which the conferees shared views and proposals on development programs and plans to benefit 'our citizens', he said.
Meanwhile, Al-Hajraf lauded the Saudi Ministry of Health's efforts in launching the center aiming to boost health cooperation to set policies and common indicators as well as share information.
The center has a vital role in assessing risks and activating common action programs and plans, in addition to backing and enhancing training, he pointed out.
The ministers discussed several topics of common concern and made some resolutions regarding them.
Of the main resolutions are implementing health resolutions and directives of the Supreme Council and backing the future common action as well as follow implementing the international health standards.
They also dealt with supporting cooperation projects in health cities and organizing registration and classification of health specialties in the GCC member states. (end)
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