VP inaugurates GCC Health Minister's 66th Conference

SANA'A, Feb. 03 (Saba)- Vice President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi
inaugurated on Tuesday opening ceremony of Gulf Cooperation
Council's 66th Conference of Health Ministers Council entitled "
Prime Health Care and Family Medicine is Strategic Aim."

In the conference, Hadi delivered a speech in which he conveyed to
attendees from GCC countries best wishes of president Ali Abdullah
Saleh and hoped success to the conference.

Hadi, who considered this conference important step for enhancing
Yemeni-GCC partnership, valued steps taken by the GCC leaders since
Muscat Summit held in 2001 till now for including Yemen gradually to
the council.

He hoped speeding up steps for including Yemen completely in the
council via qualifying the country economically.

He asserted cooperation in health field for eradicating all diseases
hindering development. He reviewed successes Yemen has achieved in
field of health sector. Most important of these successes are
increasing levels of vaccination services and announcing Yemen free
of polio.

For his part, Minister of Public Health and Population Abdul-Karim
Rase'a affirmed that enhancing brotherly and neighboring relations
has become urgent necessity.

He affirmed necessity of integrating Arab efforts for helping our
brothers in Gaza and in the territories.

He indicated that holding this conference in Sana'a is a step for
boosting partnership with brothers in GCC's countries. He pointed
out that Yemen, after eight years of part joining of GCC, has
become a member in more than 50 joint health institutions in GCC
countries.

Meanwhile, Saudi Health Minster Hamad al-Mane'a, the Chairman of
the Council 's 33rd Round confirmed the council commitment to
support Yemen get rid of malaria parasite. He noted a program for
this purpose has been prepared and will be implemented soon.

In the opening ceremony of the conference, documentary film over
Yemen's success in eradicating polio during the period ( 1996-2009)
and on international appreciation for this experience.

In the sideline of the conference, a protocol for cooperation
between the executive office of the council and the Regional Office
of World Health Organization for the Middle East has been signed.

Nursery Specializations Council's site has been also posted on the
Spider Network during the conference. The site aims a providing
enough information to its students.

In the first session of the conference, Yemen was elected to chair
the sessions of the conference. The session reviewed a report over
the achievements of the council in 2008 including efforts of
combating heart diseases and allocation of $ 750 million for Gulf
Fund of combating diabetes.