BEIJING: TheSecond China-Arab States Health Cooperation Forum concluded on Friday withconferees' approval of the 'Beijing Initiative' designed to bolster healthcooperation between the Chinese and Arab nations this year. According to astatement issued at end of the meeting, the Chinese and Arab conferees heldin-depth discussions on deepening mutual cooperation in health 'and jointbuilding of the silk road.'
The two sidesaffirmed resolve to purse cooperation for bolstering "the process ofconstruction of the Arab-Chinese silk road in the health sector" and seekto build healthy societies in the two nations. According to the 'BeijingInitiative,' as cited by the convention final statement, health is a basis forattaining objective of comprehensive sustainable health by 2030; with specialattention to health care for mothers, children and teenagers.
It notednecessity of boosting dialogue, swapping information about the two sides'strategies with respect of health development, systems and legislations. The'Beijing Initiative' called for Sino-Arab cooperation in the fields ofprevention from major diseases, as well as communicable and emerging ailments,through enhancing technical coordination. Moreover, aspired greater cooperationbetween the two nations, according to the initiative, calls for personneltraining, swap of specialists, enhanced emergency services, in addition tosecuring medical services for the impoverished, the elderly, women, the kidsand the people of special needs.
It applauded aproposal to establish a joint center for applied research and called for aframework to merge benefits of the modern medicine with those of the Chinesepopular medicine. Furthermore, it called for establishing a joint network forcooperation among hospitals, exchanging expertise in hospital management,cadres' training and conventional medicine. It noted that the third sessionwould be held at a member state of the Arab League, but indicated that the dateof it would be set according to a future agreement between the Arab and Chinesesides.
Strengtheningties
Meanwhile,Kuwaiti Health Minister Sheikh Dr Basel Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, representing Stateof Kuwait at the forum, said the Kuwaiti participation crowned the 2018 statevisit to China by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-JaberAl-Sabah. Addressing the meeting, the minister affirmed that the Kuwaitiinvolvement in the event emanated from the solid ties between the twocountries, noting that His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah'svisit to Beijing last year resulted in elevating level of the relations betweenthe two friendly countries, turning them into a comprehensive, strategicrelationship.
He expressedgratitude to all personnel who played a role in organizing this major forum forthe second time, noting that it constituted a good result of the constructivecooperation between the Council of Arab Health Ministers and China. Such arelationship is a framework for exchanging views, expertise, policies andprograms between the two sides' health leaders for facing challenges andattaining the international goal for sustainable development, 2030, withrespect of the sector in particular, Sheikh Dr Basel added.
The 'BeijingDeclaration' opens a new chapter in the relations between the two sides forbolstering health cooperation, he added further. The State of Kuwaitparticipated in the meeting with a delegation from the Ministry of Health headedby Sheikh Dr Basel. It includes the State of Kuwait Ambassador to China SameehHayat. Also addressing the gathering, Ambassador Haifa Abu Ghazala, the ArabLeague assistant general secretary for social affairs, indicated that theconferees would address a host of issues, namely health policies,pharmaceutical industries, conventional medicine, public health, trainingcadres, producing vaccines and serums.
Meanwhile,Chinese Minister of Health Ma Xiaowei urged for pressing ahead with building'the silk road' in the health sector, noting that Beijing had inked 12memoranda of understanding in the health field with Arab states, alsoindicating that the cooperation had resulted in executing a number ofcooperation ventures in sectors of prevention from epidemics, building publichealth facilities, mother and child health care and conventional medicine. Hecalled for enhancing the Arab-Chinese cooperation at this level. - KUNA