Following is a speech given by the Director-General of Media and Health Awareness, Dr. Khaled Merghalani, on the inauguration of the National Osteoporosis Awareness Campaign, held at Radisson SAS Hotel, Riyadh, on 10/9/1927, falling on 3/10/2006.
In the name of Almighty Allâh, glorified and exalted be He, and peace be upon His Prophet, Muhammed, and on his family and companions.
Your Excellency, the Minister of Health,
Dear Brothers and Sisters attending the inauguration of the National Osteoporosis Awareness Campaign,
Dear Guests,
Peace, mercy and blessings of Allâh be upon you.
It has become universally acknowledged that our beloved Kingdom is witnessing a paradigm shift in the provision of health service, thus becoming one of the most advanced countries in this field, ranking 3rd at the international level, and 1st in the Middle East in terms of health expenditure. There is no doubt that this was not brought about accidentally. Such an acknowledgment was not (and cannot be) meaningless, or devoid of further connotations and implications.
A closer look at the MOH's activities and endeavors in all health fields (treatment, prevention and rehabilitation) reveals, leaving no room for doubt, that the Ministry, headed by His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Mane', May Allâh protect him, has been making massive efforts meant to promote the health services provided for our people. To that end, the Ministry has developed a strategy with the aim to accomplish the aspirations of the Kingdom's leaders, May Allâh protect them, attain the highest global health standards in providing services for all the citizens and residents of our dear country. This is expected to be embodied in health securing covering all those living in Saudi Arabia wherever they are.
The health awareness efforts, exerted by all the Ministry's departments and authorities, are but one step on the integrated and coherent route towards the implementation of the Ministry's strategies seeking to activate and heighten the health services provided through a network of health facilities, very advanced and highly supported with state-of-the-art equipment, and experienced staff.
Proceeding form the Ministry's keen interest in raising health awareness, being one of the most important and effective means of shedding light on the preventive aspect which is crucial for overcoming diseases, the Media and Health Awareness General Department has devoted a considerable part of its efforts to launching and activating the national awareness campaigns that contributed a great deal to raising people's health awareness of all the infectious and non-infectious diseases. The Department, in this vein, has organized a number of national awareness campaigns, including but not confined to the National Campaign against Overweight and Obesity, the National Campaign to Combat Colon and Rectal Cancers, as well as the campaigns to combat cancer of the lung, breast and lymphoma, in addition to the viral hepatitis.
Today, coinciding with the Osteoporosis World Day, and in an endeavor to overcome this disease that silently devours our bodies, thus threatening people of both genders and at all ages, continually affecting their lifestyles and productivity, the National Osteoporosis Awareness Campaign is launched with the aim to combat this disease by raising health awareness among those suffering (or susceptible to suffering) from it, and educating them about its nature, and how to avert it, as well as the most effective curative means.
In a little while, His Excellency the Minister of Health will be announcing the inauguration of the National Osteoporosis National Campaign, which is projected to last for 6 months, covering all the Kingdom's regions and province, under the theme: “Immunize your Bones!”. It seeks, in the first place, to raise the awareness of Saudi women, as well as the Saudi society at large, with regard to the risk of this disease, and the importance of undergoing specialized examination to detect it, in addition to scheduling the key events of its treatment and prevention. This is carried out through a number of well calculated mechanisms developed by a constellation of experts, with the aim to attain the objective assigned to this campaign.
In conclusion, I would like to thank all those involved in the preparation and inauguration of this campaign, at the head of which is His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Mane', who made big efforts for the purpose that the campaign would be brought into being, and put to action.
﴾And say (O Muhammad) “Do deeds! Allâh will see your deeds, and (so will) His Messenger and the believers.”﴿
Peace, mercy and blessings of Allâh be upon you.