The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), whose Ministers of Health met in Muscat, Oman earlier this week, is the first regional entity to respond, at a heads of state level, to the UN General Assembly Political Declaration on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) by developing a regional strategy to address diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and chronic respiratory disease.

"The regional strategy details what the six countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates) will be doing to tackle NCDs during the next years in terms of reducing people’s exposure to causative risk factors and improving services to prevent and treat these leading health problems," said Dr Ahmed Al Saidi, Omani Minister of Health who chaired the meeting. "It also highlights what the six countries will do to set targets and measure results, advance multisectoral action, and strengthen national capacity."

Welcoming the announcement, WHO Regional Director-Elect of WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region Dr Ala Alwan said, "We have the knowledge of what works to prevent and treat NCDs, a global public health and development problem of increasing significance to many countries. We are pleased to see the Gulf Cooperation Council countries taking concrete action to implement affordable best practices (called 'best buys') to curb NCDs and we hope other regions will take similar action.”