Dr. Rida Khaleel, MOH Consultant of the Directorate of Health and Head of the High Supervisory Committee of the Arab Child Conference organized by the Ministry of Health in cooperation with the UN Developmental Program and the Arab League, said the final session of the conference yielded 7 important recommendations for developing and executing childhood health programs for attaining the developmental purposes of the millennium by the end of the year 2015. The recommendations are:
First: Adoption of the attached text of Riyadh Declaration.
Second: Legislations and Rules
Urging member Arab countries to boost and promote the role of national committees and organizations concerned with childhood health, together with finding suitable mechanisms for coordinating their activities with concerned governmental and non governmental organizations.
Third: In the Field of Health:
a- Providing comprehensive health care services to all children, promoting their living conditions, and concentrating on lowering mortality rates of babies and children.
b- Enabling disabled children to obtain medical, psychological, social, and rehabilitation care necessary for merging them into the society.
c- Supporting the preventive and therapeutic programs for children infected with AIDS.
d- Providing medical, psychological, and social care for children during disasters and conflicts, together with encouraging the contributions of governmental and non governmental organizations in this regard.
e- Establishment of an Arabic center for relief and humanitarian assistance during disasters and armed conflicts.
f- Taking necessary measurements for reducing obesity rates among children, in addition to activating the role of governmental and non governmental sectors in this regard.
g- Forming a teamwork within the Arab League for preparing a concept on "An Arabic Project for Juvenile Health" aiming at conducting research necessary for providing relative data and indicators.
h- Demanding the Arab League to prepare a periodical two years report on the health situation of children in cooperation with the Arab Council of the Ministries of Health.
Fourth: Early Childhood Care
a- Formulation and development of family guide programs and rehabilitating youths requiring marriage for the purpose of boosting family role in ensuring secure life for children.
b- Developing and activating the role of governmental and non governmental organizations in children rearing.
c- Urging member countries to pay attention to pre school education.
Fifth: Training and Scientific Research
a- Consolidating the efforts of doctors and other medical teams in dealing with childhood medical and psychological problems.
b- Calling the Arab league to establish a research centre concerned with family and childhood studies.
c- Urging universities, research centers, and civil community organizations to carry out research studies in the field of childhood health.
Sixth: Child Protection
a- Calling concerned bodies to pay a special attention to family problems, especially family violence, for limiting child abuse through setting measurements and procedures at all levels.
b- Urging the establishment of a national record in each country for following the cases of child abuse and negligence, including a hot line for rescuing children.
c- Protection of children and juveniles from unhealthy behaviors, especially drugs and smoking.
Seventh: Media and Communication
a- Urging mass media to promote health awareness among families and children and encourage the initiatives aiming at producing educational, recreational, and scientific programs for babies and families, taking into consideration the cultural and religious needs.
b- Including within the educational programs all contributions for enhancing health awareness among children.
Riyadh Declaration
The Riyadh Declaration announced by the Arab ministers of health at the end of the activities of the Arabic Child Conference:
Abidance with all Arabic and international resolutions issued by the Arab League and international organizations relative to childhood health, together with commitment to apply those resolutions for ensuring a better future for the Arabic child.
Stressing the importance of creating a suitable environment for rearing, educating, and rehabilitating the children, in addition to providing security and health care to them. Efforts must be made to include the principles of promoting general health into educational programs and curricula.
Ensuring a better life for the Arabic child, especially those who are more subject to disease, disability or death, in a way as to ensure his right in life and promote his health asset to the best possible level.
Confirming the importance of publicizing the principles of healthy nutritional behavior as well as warning against non healthy foods and drinks.
Confirming the right of each Arabic child in obtaining the basic vaccinations, together with linking issuance of birth certificates with accomplishing the basic vaccinations.
Urging the Arabic countries to adopt the programs of applying early checkup and discovery of diseases, as well as early intervention for curing them.
Commitment to reduce mortality rates of children, together with consolidating the role of families, civil community organizations, and government bodies.
Confirming the importance of the role of civil community organizations in supporting family links and creating a secure environment for child rearing and stability.
Encouragement of cooperation and exchange of information and experience between the different medical, educational and social bodies concerned with childhood and motherhood services.
Supporting all efforts aiming at merging those of special needs into the society as well as supporting the social rehabilitating programs allotted to them.
Boosting the role of mass media, civil community organizations, the private sector, and educational systems in supporting the strategies of upgrading the health services provided to children.
Approving the 24th day of February as national day for motherhood and childhood health.