DUBAI, 15th March, 2023 (WAM) — Abdul Rahman bin Mohammad bin Nasser Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention and Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs, led the UAE delegation to Algeria for the 58th regular session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Health, which took place on 13th–14th March.

The main objective of the ministry’s participation was to coordinate and unify efforts in the healthcare sector among member states, strengthen collaboration to address challenges, enhance the effectiveness of health systems across different countries, and facilitate access to high-quality healthcare services.

Al Owais highlighted the UAE’s commitment to playing a significant and influential role in promoting Arab endeavours. He emphasised that the country’s participation in the two-day event was in line with the leadership’s vision to support unified Arab action at all levels, especially in the health field.

Furthermore, the minister added that the UAE’s involvement in the regional meeting aimed to strengthen collaboration and experience-sharing, leveraging the latest developments in science and technology to bolster the health and well-being of Arab societies.

Al Owais expressed his confidence that the decisions and recommendations made during the meeting would improve collaboration among Member States. He highlighted the importance of addressing priority health issues and promoting integration of efforts across all levels to achieve universal health coverage. Al Owais emphasised that such efforts would ultimately lead to a higher standard and efficiency of healthcare throughout the Arab world.

At the meeting, Arab Health Ministers reviewed multiple reports, including those from the Technical Secretariat of the Council of Arab Ministers of Health since the previous regular session (No. 56). They discussed healthcare achievements of Arab Member States, along with various topics related to the Arab Strategy for Health and Environment, the Arab Guiding Law to Support the Rights of the Elderly, medical tourism, and health travel. The ministers also explored ways to establish Arab health authorities to improve coordination, as well as preparations for the third edition of the Arab Chinese Cooperation Forum in the healthcare sector.