The General Secretariat of the League of Arab States (Department of Health and Humanitarian Aid – Technical Secretariat of the Council of Arab Health Ministers) convened the preparatory meeting of the Executive Office in advance of the 62nd ordinary session of the Council of Arab Health Ministers, on 18 May 2025, at the headquarters of the League's Mission in Geneva. The meeting was chaired by the Arab Republic of Egypt and included participation from the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the Republic of Iraq, the State of Palestine, and the State of Qatar.
Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Social Affairs Sector, stated that the meeting reviewed a number of pressing health issues, foremost among them the health situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Particular emphasis was placed on the unprecedented humanitarian and health crisis in the Gaza Strip, which has severely disrupted healthcare delivery. The meeting further examined mechanisms to sustain the provision of health and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people in Gaza, as well as the prevailing health and humanitarian conditions in the Union of the Comoros.
In addition, the meeting followed up on a range of regional health topics, including: the development of medical and hospital tourism in the Arab region; oversight of the activities and programmes of the Arab Authority for Blood Transfusion Services; updates concerning the Arab Drug Agency (WAAD); the recommendations of the Arab Health Committee for Emergency Preparedness and Response; the proposed Arab Guiding Strategy to promote the application of health economics in addressing key health priorities for the period 2025–2030; collective Arab efforts to combat drug abuse; the proposed Visiting Physician Programme among Arab States; the training exchange framework for health personnel; and the health initiative arising from the Bahrain Summit Declaration.
Ambassador Abu Ghazaleh also noted the adoption of the unified statement of the Council of Arab Health Ministers in preparation for the 78th session of the World Health Assembly, which is scheduled to be delivered by His Excellency the Minister of Health and Community Protection of the United Arab Emirates. Furthermore, the meeting approved the recipients of the 2025 Arab Doctor Award and the 2025 Distinguished Work Award in the Fields of Nursing and Midwifery. The composition of the new Executive Office of the Council of Arab Health Ministers was confirmed, and financial matters relating to the Arab Fund for Health Development were reviewed.
Dr. Abu Ghazaleh concluded by stating that the recommendations of the Executive Office will be submitted to the Council of Arab Health Ministers for consideration and adoption.
