The WHO’s  World Health Assembly (WHA) meetings, which are chaired by H.E. Dr. Ahmed Mohammed al-Saidi, Minister of Health, continued for the second day at Geneva.

In his Inaugural address, H.E. Dr. Al Saidi pointed out to the achieved advancements in the Sultanate’s Health Services, which received international appraisals, and resulted in an increase in Life Expectancy at Birth. He further referred in his word to the development in the Global Health in spite of the challenges encountered in the global economic and political arena. His Excellency also called at the International community to collaborate in tackling the risk of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

The Health Minister affirmed the WHA Vision of its current course, which put an emphasis on five basic components namely Comprehensive Health Coverage, Mother and Child Health, NCDs, and Emergency Preparedness and Response.   

Most significantly, on the sideline of the WHA meetings, H.E. Dr. Health Minister signed two agreements regarding the cooperation in the field of health services between the Sultanate and each of Jordan and Lithuania. The agreements include the exchange of experiences in the field of Medical Administration and the scientific field and the relevant technology. They also cover the exploration of the advancement in the field of health and it links to the development.

On another side, the Sultanate represented by the Ministry of Health delegation organized an event highlighting the NCDs. The event was adopted by the Sultanate and countries of Lithuania, Russia, Jordan, Barbados, and Ethiopia. Moreover, the Sultanate along with the mentioned countries agreed on the NCDs Strategy that aims at strengthening the services delivered to the individual and community through the utilization of four interventions. These four interventions are characterized in; first, the establishment of general goals concerning the prevention of Diabetes and Cardiovascular diseases’ complications, second the early detection of Diabetes, High cholesterol & Blood pressure, and Kidney diseases. The third intervention is the prevention of risk factors that are represented in smoking, lack of physical activity, high use of saturated and transmitted fats and salt in food and bread. The last intervention represents in the establishment of a multisectoral strategy to control chronic diseases.