The Health Ministers’ Council 
for The Gulf Cooperation Council States
First The Establishment of the Council
       

In order to affirm the strong relations and numerous links among the Arabian Gulf States and in order to unify their efforts in the health field, consolidate their cooperation and strengthen their brotherly relations – and take unified decisions by the Health Ministers of these countries in all matters. The Health Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council States have agreed, in their first meeting held in Riyadh on Safar  1396 H. Corresponding to February 1976 G., upon the following:

 “The necessity of holding regular meetings among them to discuss the health issues of concern to their states with a view to upgrade the health services rendered to the citizens in view of the national, regional and international experiences. 

 Therefore, “The Health Ministers’ Council of the Arab Countries in the Gulf” which was later on called  “the Health Ministers’ Council for the Gulf Cooperation Council States” (HMC/GCC) was established.

 
 
 
   
 
MISSION OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF HEALTH FOR GCC
 

Since the GCC States constitute one regional community in its Islamic religion, Arabic  language,  population, similarity in geography, and values history, traditions , economic sources, social and cultural circumstances,  therefore they had to unify their efforts in different fields of life to face the quick changes, and the overall development requirements.

 According to the Health Minister's Council for GCC States , was established in 1397H (1976G. ) for coordination between the GCC States in the fields of health to join the common world  efforts symbolizing one goal for better achievement of health and expectation for health mission in the Gulf States based on these principles:-

·      Common development & coordination between the Members States in the preventive, curative and rehabilitation fields.

·      Dissemination  the health knowledge among the citizens of the region taking into  consideration the environmental circumstances, social and customs traditions, and Islamic rites, concepts and principles.

·      Identify the concepts and directions of the different health and scientific issues unify and arranging the priorities as well as  adopting the common executive  programs in Gulf States such as: Family health/environmental health / health planning/ improving of health system performance/ quality assurance/ primary health care/ health education, ‑ etc.

·      Assessment  of the existing systems and strategies in the health fields and supporting  the successful experiences in the Gulf States to exchange such achievements  in other Member State.

·      Open channels with the international experiences and coordinate also maintain the cooperation with the Arab and International Organizations in the health fields.

·      Procurement  of safe and efficient pharmaceutical products, hospital sundries  and equipments of high quality with appropriate prices through central group purchase program and  Gulf central registration of Pharmaceutical products and companies.

·      Conducting field surveys and researches for common interest of Gulf Sates.

·      Organizing conferences, seminars, and training courses to raise the national medical capacities.

·       And other purposes, that the council is doing more to realize.
   
 
INTRODUCTION
 

The Establishment

 Establishment of the Council & Nature of Work

The Arab Gulf States  :  The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sultanate of Oman, Qatar and Kuwait forming among themselves one region in its Islamic belief, Arabic language, being so close in geography and environment, economic resources, cultural and social circumstances, customs and traditions; found it more advantageous for all of them in both  their present and future to form a Gulf Organization that links them closely, protects their homeland and ascertains their distinct identity. In order to affirm the strong relations and numerous links among the Arabian Gulf States, and in order to unify their efforts in the health field, consolidate their cooperation and strengthen their brotherly relations and take unified decisions by the Health Ministers of these countries  namely; United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman , Qatar and Kuwait.  The health ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council States have agreed in their first meeting held in Riyadh on Safar  1396 H. corresponding to February  1976 G., upon the necessity of holding regular meetings among them to discuss the health issues of concern to their states aiming to upgrade the health services rendered to the citizens in view of the national, regional and international experiences. 

Therefore, the Health Ministers’ Council of the Arab Countries in the Gulf, which was later on called “The Health Ministers Council for the Gulf Cooperation Council States”  (HMC/ GCC)  was established.

   
 

The Executive Board

 

In their first above mentioned meeting, the Health Ministers decided to establish a health general secretariat, based in Riyadh city, to work as the executive body of the council and its name was later on amended to become “the Executive Board”.  It can be said that this institution was an inevitable response to the requirements of the factual findings and to the logic of the era in which our region lives and to the similar environmental conditions in the Member States adhering to the procedure included in the statutes of the Council.

   
 

Of the Council Work System:
 

1. The Health Ministers’ Conference  

    The conference consists of the Health Ministers of the Member  States. It is held twice in each yearly session.  Each yearly session starts in January in one of the Member States in rotation and ends in December.  And since its establishment, the Council had held Fifty-five conferences along 28 session. 

 2. The Director General

     He is responsible for supervising the works of the Executive Board and following up the resolutions and recommendations of the Ministerial Council.  He is assisted by  a technical, administrative and financial body.    The executive director represents the Board in contacting the ministries and the other bodies, governmental,  private in addition to the national and international organizations.

3. The Executive Body

     It consists of members representing their countries and convenes twice per year in regular meetings  in addition to the casual meetings (whenever needed), under the chairmanship of the Director General to draw up a strategy for the work of the Board and to prepare the agenda of the Ministers’ Conferences and to issue the recommendations as regards the studies and reports prepared by the technical committees and work teams and to review yearly budget of the Executive Board.