On the occasion of Arab Health Day, which is annually commemorated on 4 September, coinciding with the founding anniversary of the Council of Arab Ministers of Health in September 1976, the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States is organising a special celebration under the theme "The Impact of Climate Change on Health." This event is set to take place on 7 September at the headquarters of the League of Arab States.
Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Social Affairs Sector, clarified that the chosen theme aligns with Resolution 11 issued by the Council of Arab Ministers of Health during its 58th ordinary session held in March 2023 in the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria. The resolution stipulated that the focus of this year's Arab Health Day celebration would be on the impact of climate change on health.
Dr. Abu Ghazaleh explained that the celebration will witness the participation of prominent figures, including His Excellency the Minister of Health and Population of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Professor Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, who also serves as the Head of the Executive Office of the Council of Arab Ministers of Health. Additionally, His Excellency the Minister of Health of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, Mr. Abdel Hak Saihi, head of the current session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Health, will participate.
The event will also feature the presence of Mr. John Kerry, the US envoy for climate affairs. The participation extends to the ministries of health of the Arab member states, permanent delegations of Arab member states to the League of Arab States, the regional office of the World Health Organisation for the Eastern Mediterranean, the Arab Council for Health Specialisations, the Arab Organisation for Administrative Development, the Federation of Arab Hospitals, several United Nations and international health-related organizations, representatives from civil society institutions focused on health and sustainable development, experts, specialists, researchers, those concerned with health and climate matters, and a variety of public figures.
The celebration is earmarked to include the recognition and honouring of Arab doctors who have been recipients of the Arab Doctor Award for the year 2023. These distinguished doctors hail from the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Tunisia, and the Republic of Lebanon.
