The Gulf Cooperation Council Health Ministers and the Director-General of Executive Office of the GCC Council of Ministers of Health have expressed their thanks and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, His Royal Highness King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Chairman of the 32nd session of the Supreme Council for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and their Majesties and Royal Highnesses, the leaders of the GCC states, for approving the GCC plan to combat non-communicable diseases and directing the Ministries of Health to develop executive strategic plans to ensure the provision of necessary treatment and well-studied programs to prevent it. The 32nd session of the Supreme Council for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), held in Riyadh on 24-25 December 2011, has also approved the GCC healthcare facilities accreditation project and Saudi accreditation standards. The ministers praised His Royal Highness's call for transitioning from the stage of cooperation to the stage of the Union.
Moreover, the leaders of the GCC states praised this historic initiative, that reflects great wisdom and ambitious vision would achieve a significant qualitative leap forward regarding GCC cooperation in general and the health sector in particular, to achieve yet further progress and prosperity for the people of the Gulf states.
The GCC Health Ministers sent a thanks-letter to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said al Said, Sultan of Oman, in appreciation for hosting this conference and the huge efforts exerted to facilitate it. They also sent a thanks-letter to His Excellency Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Obaid Al Saidi, the Minister of Health of Oman, in appreciation for the warm hospitality and the excellent facilities provided to the chairman and delegations participating in the conference that have contributed to the success of their mission and tasks.
The Ministers have discussed a number of important issues during the 37th session of the 72nd Conference of the GCC Health Ministers Council, held at the Al Bustan Palace Hotel in Muscat, during the period from 4 to 5 January 2012, under the slogan: "Combat non-communicable diseases". The Conference discussed several significant topics related to the development of cooperation and coordination among GCC states in the fields of preventive and curative healthcare, raising health awareness in the region, identifying and prioritizing the concepts of health and scientific issues, implementing joint programs in the GCC States, in addition to evaluating the systems and strategies related to healthcare and sharing successful experiences among GCC States. The Conference also discussed combating non-communicable diseases, healthcare quality and patient safety, mental health, the elimination of measles and rubella, health leaderships’ development, unified procurement, medical rehabilitation supplies, central drug registration, medicine pricing, and other important topics on the agenda of the Conference.