World Health Day Observed [Archives:2000/15/Health]
Yemen has on Saturday, April 8, 2000, celebrated the World Health Day under the motto “Safe Blood Saves Life”. The celebration was sponsored by Ministry of Health in cooperation with World Health Organization. The ceremony was attended by several Ministers, members of the Consultative Council and Parliament, officials of concerned organizations and heads of Arab and foreign diplomatic missions. On the occasion, people were encouraged to donate blood regularly in hope to provide healthy blood for patients, develop blood transfusion services and limit the spread of endemic diseases.
Vice-President Mr. Abduh Rabu Mansour has addressed the audience in, expressing his pleasure for to attending the activity that marks a start of a new chapter in the Health Ministry tasks. Mr Mansour praised the relentless efforts that the Ministry exerts for the spread of health services and awareness. In addition, he affirmed that blood donation was very useful especially in remote suburban districts, stressing blood banks and storing blood could meet essential needs without much trouble. Moreover, he called on the young men at universities, colleges and camps to donate blood citing doctors assurances that it is good for health. Finally, he asserted the need to found blood banks in suburban districts to facilitate its transfusion and to avoid shortages of blood in cases of emergency like traffic accidents.
Dr. Abdullah Abdul-Wali Nashir, Minister of Public Heath has also delivered a speech, saying that it has been coinciding with the 10th national anniversary of the Republic of Yemen, the generations’ realized at the hand of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. He asserted that safe blood could save lives, affirming that blood forms a defense line for the body against viruses and microbes. Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of checking blood for its safety and cleanness of any diseases such as AIDS, hepatitis and Malaria before its transfusion. The Ministry will ensure this through its Central Lab by setting standards and conditions for these services.
Dr. Hashim Zayn, Representative of the World Health Organization, gave an address in which he reviews the steps taken by Ministry of Health for improving and developing its diagnostic and medical treatment services through qualifying its staff in all health sectors, establishing the Supreme Committee for Blood Banks, improving blood transfusion service, reforming the health sector and rendering health corporations financial independence to facilitate their task in providing better services for patients. Finally, he lauded the big role and concern that the political leadership in Yemen pays for the health sector which would lead to the improvement of health services in all fields.
There were also several other speeches addressed by Dr. Abdul-Karim Shaiban, Head of the Preparatory Committee and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health for Services Department, Dr. Mohammed Salem Bin Borayk, General Director of the Central Lab, and Ali Al-Omari from the Yemeni Society for Protection against AIDS. They all stressed the necessity of society’s healthy members’ participation in donating blood on regular basis knowing it is not bad for health because the human body reproduces the transfused blood. In addition, they stressed that blood donation is a great national and humanitarian duty.
On conclusion, Mr. Abduh Rabu Mansour, Dr. Abdullah Abdul-Wali Nashir and Dr. Hashim Zayn distributed certificates for Military and Medical Institutions that cooperated with the Ministry of Health.
Yasser M. Ahmed,
Yemen Times
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