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Merge 104.8 | 24 June 2020
Oman has taken part in the launch of a new alliance which aims to lay the ground-work for a universal health protection framework.
Represented by His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Al Saeedi, Minister of Health, the Sultanate participated in the virtual Summit of the Global Health Security Alliance (GloHSA) on Tuesday [June 23] in cooperation with Switzerland, Bostwana, and Nepal.
Under the Summit’s theme of ‘Health as a Bridge to Global Peace Initiative’, the coalition aims to secure health protection to ensure global health safety by supporting and strengthening the health sector in the world and encouraging countries to unify their forces in difficult times, calling for more preparedness and response to global health emergencies and a willingness to address potential future challenges to protect public health.
As Oman News Agency (ONA) reports, Oman was chosen to participate in this initiative as a result of the health role it plays regionally and, for the untiring efforts it adopts to update its health indicators to the ranks of developed countries. It was also chosen for its prominent role in supporting universal health coverage (UHC). In September 2018, the Sultanate hosted a regional conference on UHC, which resulted in the drafting of the ‘Salalah Declaration’.
As per ONA, speaking on the GloHSA summit, His Excellency the Minister of Health said: “This initiative comes in response to the disturbing conditions on human security resulting from the increase in conflict and violence in many parts of the world, which has led to profound and long-term negative effects on health. The idea of the ‘Health as a Bridge to Global Peace Initiative’ came at the appropriate time, as it calls for a cooperative approach between all countries to protect peoples’ health anywhere, anytime, and for everyone.
The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic was a strong justification for emphasizing the importance of this initiative, as the sudden spread of the coronavirus allowed global health systems to identify difficulties and challenges in their institutions and, hence, the necessity for the interdependence of the whole world to provide proper health conditions,” His Excellency added.
The Minister also explained that this pandemic revealed the urgent need to be better prepared, better informed, and better ready to deal with any future health emergency, to reduce suffering, and protect the health and security of all people.
As ONA states, the ‘Health as a Bridge to Global Peace Initiative’ comes in order to enhance opportunities and give priority to sustainable peace — especially in countries suffering from conflict and violence, because of the need to achieve good health outcomes and provide the required care.
In this, the World Health Organization plays a prominent role in promoting cooperation between countries, as health is the best approach that can be used for this purpose.
Source: ONA
(Also read: Oman: His Majesty issue orders for emergency, interest-free loans for SMEs.)
