Undersecretaries of the GCC Health Ministries started a meeting here on Sunday to discuss a host of key joint health issues.
"The meeting offers a chance to exchange views and expertise, and continue joint work for what our peoples look forward to regarding health care and comprehensive and sustainable development," Minister of Health Dr. Ali Al-Obaidi, told the opening session.
The meeting of the bloc's health executive officials is held under the umbrella of the GCC Secretariat General.
Minister Al-Obaidi said that there are several studies and proposals submitted by the GCC Health Ministries to be discussed by the meeting. He added that participants will also renew commitment to support the health care programs for both the elderly and youth, in addition to prevention of risk factors leading to non-communicable diseases.
They will also review the ongoing development of the health strategies and programs in the GCC member states.
The Minister said in a statement on the sidelines of the GCC meeting that the agenda includes countering the Ebola virus through adoption of the World Health Organization (WHO) relevant guidelines. Al-Obaidi noted that Kuwait had fixed thermographic cameras at airports and at border areas to detect viruses and disease that cause high body temperature.
For his part, GCC Assistant-Secretary General for humanitarian and environmental affairs Dr. Abdullah Aqlah, congratulated His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on the UN honoring, naming him a "humanitarian leader" and Kuwait a "global humanitarian center." He also stressed the importance of the issues on the agenda of the meeting for the joint GCC health efforts.