Maldives engage in discussions on WHO’s role in providing healthcare for Palestinians

A Maldivian delegation has attended World Health Organization (WHO)’s 156th Session of the Executive Board and engaged in discussions regarding WHO’s role in providing healthcare for Palestinians.

WHO’s Executive Board is comprised of a total of 34 countries including the Maldives. The Maldivian delegation at the 156th Executive Board meeting was led by Health Minister Abdulla Nazim.

Over the course of the session, the Maldivian delegation submitted proposals on including increasing the capacity of countries to respond to health emergencies, increasing universal health coverage to attain sustainable development goals, minimizing the impact of climate change on health and the health of children and women.

The delegation also engaged in discussions on a wide range of topics including how assistance provided by WHO to nations can be best implemented and the role of WHO in providing healthcare for Palestinians.

Notably, Maldives rejected proposals put forth by Israel on the topic, while voting in favor of the proposals put forth by Palestine.

The Maldivian delegation also held meetings with Brunei, South Korea, Qatar and Thailand on the sidelines of the session. The discussions during these meetings centered on financial assistance to strengthen Maldives health sector, develop human resources for the health sector and ensure safety of public health. Discussions with Qatar and Thailand also focused on signing the proposed agreements, enhancing primary healthcare and securing slots for postgraduate education in the health sector.

Health Minister Nazim also met with WHO’s Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on the sidelines of the session during which discussions took place on strengthening health systems in the Maldives, with a focus on digital health and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).