The 1st Arab World Conference on Public Health, hosted by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) under the umbrella of the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA), which opened on Thursday at the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel in Dubai, has brought together a host of national and international doctors, public health leaders, service providers, NGOs, and students.
The 3-day conference is under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, and President of the DHA and is supported by the Health Ministers’ Council of the GCC, Emirates Medical Association and the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences.
Held under the general theme “Towards Excellence in Public Health: Opportunities and Challenges in the Arab World,” the sub-themes of the conference include Leadership in Public Health, Health System Development and Capacity Building in Public Health, Research and Health Information, Public Health Policies and Strategies and Community Partnering for Better Health.
“The Oral Health: Reflections from the Arab World” session was held on Friday, followed by a meeting of the Oral Health Working Group of the WFPHA, which dealt mainly with oral health issues in Gulf countries, according to organisers.
His Excellency Engineer Essa Al Maidoor, Director-General of the Dubai Health Authority said at the inaugural edition of the conference that the conference will serve as a real jumpstart to joint efforts in the Arab region in dealing with challenges such as increasing incidence of diabetes, heart diseases, obesity and cancer, which he said kill millions of people in the Arab region.
These health issues pose a threat, which cannot be deterred without effective public health policies based on awareness, prevention and the engagement of the community, he added.
Prevention, Al Maidoor noted, is an integral part of public health strategies and “this is what we do in Dubai where public health is now up to international standards.”
Prof. Tawfik Ahmed Khoja, director-general of the Executive Board of the Health Ministers’ Council for the GCC — in his speech — addressed “The way forward to Arab public health: vital need of public health laws and systems in the GCC countries”. He commended the progress made by the UAE to improve public health.
According to the head of the Scientific Committee of the conference, Dr Lubna Al Shaali, the 38 speakers will discuss public health priorities in the Arab region, including the creation of a regional forum for exchange of knowledge, experience and success stories on key public health issues in Arab countries.
Speakers will also be shedding light on the use of new public health approaches for promotion of community health at the national and regional levels.
Other speakers at the conference included Dr Muhammad Wasif, acting head of public health department at the DHA and Dr Mohammed Al Redha, Director of Health Data and Information Analysis Department.
The agenda of the conference held discussions on the Arab region’s major public health challenges and the announcement of the Dubai Declaration on Public Health.
