The Sultanate of Oman represented by the Ministry of Health, in coordination with the Secretariat General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, is hosting a three-day 11^th Meeting of the GCC Committee Responsible to Following up the Implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005).

The Committee is responsible to follow up the implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) by conducting scheduled field visits to airports and entry points at gulf countries in coordination with the concerned authorities in each country and performing assessment of the basic capacities and the requirements of Health Regulations related to prevention, early warning, and public health emergency response as per the World Health Organization checklist.

The meeting was commenced today ( Tuesday) at the Muscat International Airport and joined members of the GCC Committee on  Following up the Implementation of the International Health Regulations and the Gulf Center for Communicable Diseases Control in Gulf Health Council in addition to representatives from MOH,  Civil Aviation Authority, Royal Oman Police, and Oman Airports.

The opening session was inaugurated by speech of Dr. Saif Al Abri, MOH’s Acting Undersecretary for Health Affairs and Director General of Disease Surveillance and Control where he highlighted the preparedness and response efforts exerted by the country during COVID-19 pandemic, commending meanwhile the collaborative work observed from both the health sector and civil aviation sector in this regard.

Dr. Al Abri called upon fostering joint actions among gulf countries and exchanging expertise and success stories.

The meeting further identified prominent pillars in the airport that will be evaluated according to WHO Checklist. 

Moreover, the meeting will include a workshop on the field visit that aims at measuring the compliance of the followed health procedures with the International Health Regulations (2005) specified as per the WHO Checklist and the Global Civil Aviation (ICAO) as well identifying strengths and weakness points.

In the third day, specialists from Civil Aviation Authority will review the Sultanate of Oman experience in ensuring continuity of aviation operations during COVID-19 in accordance with the public health requirements and the taken precautionary actions.

Furthermore, a visit to the National Mutli-Hazard Early Warning Center will be carried out to identify the Center’s specializations, roles, and duties in dealing with multi hazards.

At the end of the meeting, members of the GCC Committee for following up the implementation of IHR 2005 will come up with recommendations that are to submitted to their Excellencies the Gulf Health Ministers for direction and action.