The General Secretariat is convening the 16th Meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Council of Arab Health Ministers on 28–29 April at the headquarters of the League of Arab States. The meeting was held in preparation for the 62nd Ordinary Session of the Council of Arab Health Ministers and its Executive Office, scheduled to take place in Geneva on 18–19 May in conjunction with the 78th Session of the World Health Assembly.
Her Excellency Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Social Affairs Sector, affirmed that the Health and Humanitarian Aid Department of the Technical Secretariat would review several critical health issues. Foremost among these are the health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem and the occupied Syrian Golan, particularly in light of the unprecedented humanitarian and health crisis affecting the Gaza Strip and its healthcare services. The agenda further includes deliberations on sustaining health and humanitarian support for the Palestinian people in Gaza, as well as examining the health and humanitarian situation in the Union of the Comoros.
Additionally, the Committee will address and follow up on a number of priority health topics, including: the development of medical and hospital tourism within the Arab region; the oversight of activities and programmes of the Arab Authority for Blood Transfusion Services and the Arab Drug Agency (WAAD); the recommendations of the Arab Health Committee for Emergency Preparedness and Response; the Arab guiding strategy to promote the application of health economics approaches to address major health priorities for the period 2025–2030; collective Arab efforts to combat drug abuse; as well as the proposed frameworks for physician visitation exchanges and training programmes among Arab countries.
Her Excellency further noted that the draft unified statement of the Council of Arab Health Ministers, intended for presentation at the 78th Session of the World Health Assembly, will be reviewed. The statement is scheduled to be delivered by His Excellency the Minister of Health and Community Protection of the United Arab Emirates. Moreover, the meeting will ratify the winners of the 2025 Arab Doctor Award and consider financial matters related to the Arab Fund for Health Development.
Ambassador Abu Ghazaleh also said that the recommendations arising from the Technical Advisory Committee will be presented to the Executive Office and subsequently submitted to the Council of Arab Health Ministers for formal adoption during the sessions to be held in Geneva on 18–19 May.
