The State of Qatar has organized a ministerial meeting for the UN Group of Friends of Solidarity for Global Health Security, on the margin of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
HE Minister of Public Health Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari and the State of Qatar Permanent Delegation to the UN participated in the meeting along with a lineup of Their Excellencies concerned ministers.
Dr. Al Kuwari said in her speech during the ministerial meeting that this gathering represents a pivotal moment to delve deeper into strategies aimed at further raising the level of global health security and well-being, especially in the context of the Summit on the Future and the United Nations High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance, along with other important high-level initiatives.
This is the appropriate time to review the results of the high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on epidemic prevention, preparedness and response, and to mobilize the resulting political momentum, she stressed.
The collective experience of the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the grim reality that pandemics pose existential threats that require significant investments and resources for prevention and preparedness Her Excellency said pointing that neglecting this imperative will only exacerbate the impact of pandemics, especially on the world's most vulnerable populations. This increases the severity of the threat of deadly infectious diseases, in addition to its repercussions across the economic, political, and security sectors, she said noting that the pandemic has emphasized the paramount importance of prevention, preparedness, and response.
She noted, "It is no less clear that health cannot exist in isolation. Instead, we must adopt a comprehensive health approach that includes the entire community," explaining that this approach is extremely important given the multifaceted consequences of epidemics that extend across various sectors.
She pointed out the importance of adopting a comprehensive health approach that includes the entire society, given the multifaceted consequences of epidemics that extend across various sectors.
Her Excellency voiced the State of Qatar's firm commitment to epidemic prevention, preparedness and response, in close alignment with the human development pillar of the Qatar National Vision 2030, which revolves around caring for a physically and psychologically healthy population.
Under the wise leadership of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the healthcare sector in the State of Qatar has witnessed remarkable growth and unprecedented modernity over the past decade, HE Dr. Al Kuwari said explaining that this change extends to emergency medical services, as represented by the opening of the largest trauma and emergency center in the region in 2019. Great emphasis has also been placed on developing a highly skilled workforce in the healthcare field, and ensuring the provision of high-quality care to the population of Qatar, she added.
Her Excellency voiced the State of Qatar's pride to be the first country to obtain the World Health Organization (WHO) recognition for all its municipalities as 'Healthy Cities'. She pointed that Qatar also obtained an advanced rank in the comprehensive health coverage index, which confirms Qatar's firm commitment to providing access to quality health services and enhancing the well-being of society.
Qatar's healthcare achievements also received global praise in 2022, with five hospitals listed among the top 250 academic medical centers worldwide and two hospitals among the top 100, HE Dr. Hanan Al Kuwari said pointing that Qatar was elected to the Executive Board of the WHO for a three-term term. Receiving the WHO World No Tobacco Day Award in 2022 reaffirms The State of Qatar's commitment to global health, she stressed. (MORE)
Source: Qatar News Agency