Italian government continues its medical support for Yemen:Meetings on fighting malaria, AIDS, and TP continue [Archives:2003/650/Health]

By Tawfiq al-Absi
For the Yemen Times
Dr. Mohammed al-Nomi, Minister of Public Health and Population headed last week the meetings of the committee of coordination that was formed from different governmental and non-governmental organizations in cooperation with the World Fund for Fighting Malaria, AIDS and TP.
The meeting included discussions of a lot of topics including the a visit by a delegation from the mentioned fund to Yemen to arrive next week to sign with the ministry of public health and population an agreement to grant Yemen for the program of fighting malaria an estimated amount of Euro 12 million to cover five years.
The first meeting was a primary evaluation of what the ministry of public health had done in May and June following the grants given in Geneva, Cairo and Yemen.
Moreover, international bodies have evaluated the ministry of health's capabilities to benefit from the grant and use it efficiently. They concluded that the Yemeni government, with its current financial and accounting system, is capable and authorized to use the grant.
The ministry of health and population had started to extend its activities to implement all the plans that the government program included to enhance the public health system.
On the other hand, Mr. Mohammed al-Nomi discussed with the Italian Ambassador H.E. Mr. Giacomo Sanfelice di Monteforte means of cooperation between Yemen and Italy in various medical fields such as evaluating the implemented projects and so-far achievements.
They also discussed the expansion of the grant to other different sectors as well as to plan for the Yemeni-Italian medical week that will be held in Yemen at the end of this year. The Italian team, which will include medical scientists and professors from Rome University, will deal during the week with high-blood pressure diseases. The doctors are also expected to meet their Yemeni counterparts.
Two training courses in laparoscopic surgery and medical management and evaluation will also be organized.
Talks about the agreements to be signed between the ministry, the Italian embassy, and Yemeni-Italian friendship association were also held.
The Italian ambassador to Yemen confirmed that his government has decided to grant Yemen Euro 4.4 million to support the primary medical services and awareness campaigns.
The grant was announced when a prominent Italian delegation came to Yemen and paid a visit to Shabwa, Abyan, BiAat Bos and some needy areas in Sanaa's outskirts.
The ambassador stated that a variety of medical equipment will also be presented as a gift by the Italian government to the ministry of health. The number plus details of the equipment will soon be announced and delivered.
Recently, the Italian government substantially increased its health support to Yemen in the form of sending medical teams and arranging training courses for Yemeni doctors in Italy.
Rome University has sent to al-Thawra and Kuwait Hospitals Italian doctors in delegations to carry out a number of operations for the needy. Furthermore, invitations have been exchanged between the health ministries of the two countries as well.
Dr. Abas Zabara, the Health Minister's Advisor for Developing Health Affairs and the coordinator of the Yemeni-Italian cooperation committee along with Mr. Mohammed al-Kibsi, the General Manger of the Minister's office attended the meeting.
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