Under the theme “Quality of Life”, the UAE, represented by the Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP, in collaboration with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), is hosting the Seventh Session of the Islamic Conference of Health Ministers (ICHM) in Abu Dhabi from 15 to 17 December 2019, with the participation of 40 Islamic countries.
Ministers of Health and high-level representatives from the Member States, various OIC institutions and international organizations will attend the meeting.
Dr. Youssef bin Ahmed Al-Uthaymeen, Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and Dr. Tidros Gebresos, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, are also attending the conference.
The conference will discuss the priority health issues for Islamic societies, exchanging experiences between countries, showcasing best practices in various health-related sectors, highlighting conditions of health and mechanisms for achieving more Islamic work projects pertaining to prevention, health care and quality of life, and reviewing successful global experiences in this field, and preparing effective recommendations to improve the health sector in the OIC Member States.
The six key thematic areas of the executive plan of the joint health action program in the OIC includes; strengthening of the health system; disease prevention and control; maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition; medicines, vaccines, and medical technologies; emergency health response and interventions; and information, research, education, and advocacy.
Furthermore, the conference will shed light on the establishment of the OIC Excellence Center for the production of vaccines and biotechnology products, the operation of the OIC Medical Authority, the OIC Health Portal, and polio eradication, and the regulation of medicines in member states.
The Optimal Implementation of Joint Work Plans and Programs
While welcoming the delegations participating in the conference from the OIC, regional and international organizations, and ministers in member states, HE Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, the Minister of Health, expressed sincere thanks to the OIC’s Secretary-General and the staff of the General Secretariat for their vigorous efforts aimed at strengthening joint efforts in the health field in accordance with the highest standards of quality and excellence.
Al Owais added: “Hosting the Seventh Session of the Islamic Conference of Health Ministers clearly reflects the UAE’s interest in the relevant issues to achieving development and quality health care in the Islamic world, and its keenness to have an effective and pioneering role in bolstering the OIC’s efforts.
He noted that this conference is part of the joint efforts of the member states to achieve the optimal implementation of the strategic health action plans and programs for the period 2014-2023, highlighting the UAE’s keenness on sharing its expertise in confronting health challenges, and exchanging experiences with member states in a joint Islamic action framework.
Realizing the Universal Health Coverage
While expressing confidence that the conference activities will be constructive and full of effective decisions conducive to enhancing cooperation process, the Minister of Health emphasized the importance that the conference outcomes and recommendations will contribute to achieving the aspirations and hopes of the peoples of the member states towards more coherence, cooperation, and integration, and achieving universal health coverage and sustainable development goals, so as to achieve stability and development and achieve quality of life for the people of the member states in accordance with the title of the seventh session of the Conference of Health Ministers.
Quality of Life Strategy
The conference official opening will start with a session to elect HE Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, the Minister of Health for presiding over the Seventh Session.
The Minister of Health will deliver the keynote speech, after a speech by His Excellency Dr. Tawfiq Bin Fawzan Al Rabiah, the KSA’s Minister of Health and Chairman of the sixth session of the conference.
In addition, the OIC’s Secretary-General, His Excellency Dr. Youssef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, will deliver the speech of the General Secretariat.
Through this session, Her Excellency Ohood Bint Khalfan Al-Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness and Quality of Life in the UAE, will review the national strategy for quality of life adopted by the Council of Ministers headed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.
This strategy is featuring objectives and strategic areas to make the UAE one of the world’s pioneering countries in the quality of life, and to enhance its position to be the happiest country in the world.
This would help contribute to bolstering the UAE Vision 2021 and achieving the goals of the UAE Centennial 2071.