RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is to host the fourth international ministerial conference on antimicrobial resistance in November 2024.

The announcement was made by Saudi Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel who said the Kingdom would also be taking part in an event next year to promote awareness about the issue as part of the UN Declaration on antimicrobial resistance.

Al-Jalajel noted that the events would help contribute toward finding efficient and sustainable solutions while increasing preparedness for threats to public health at regional and international levels.

A Saudi delegation headed by the minister is currently participating in the 76th session of the World Health Assembly being held at the UN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. 

The conference, titled “WHO at 75: Saving Lives, Driving Health for All,” runs until May 30.

Al-Jalajel pointed out that the Kingdom was committed to working toward achieving the principles included in the leaders’ statement delivered during the 2020 G20 Summit, which was chaired by Saudi Arabia and coincided with the start of the coronavirus pandemic. 

He added that the principles included the need to find long-term solutions to address gaps in global pandemic preparedness and response, as well as the subsequent establishment of the Pandemic Fund and the Kingdom’s contribution to it.

“Today we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the World Health Organization and we reaffirm our noble goals, our constant endeavors and our ongoing efforts to protect and save lives, and our continued work to promote health for all,” he said.

Al-Jalajel praised the efforts of the organization and its member states to amend international health regulations, and the ongoing negotiations to draft a pandemic treaty that would create additional legal tools to deal with future pandemics and overcome some of the obstacles and challenges the world has faced in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.