The oil rich GCC countries plus Yemen are holding Saturday an emergency meeting to discuss the swine flu crisis. According to the Peninsula, Dr. Sheikh Mohammad bin Hamad bin Jassem Al Thani, Director of the Public Health Department, at the Qatari Public Health Ministry, conveyed in a statement that the meeting is aimed at discussing ways to combat the swine flu virus.
The emergency meeting comes following an invitation from Qatar last week, to discuss a joint plan and steps to counter the swine flu threat. The officials will be addressed by Abdulrahman Al Atiyyah, GCC Secretary-General, Dr Hussein Abdulrazaq Al Gezairy, Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, WHO, and Dr Tawfiq Khojah, Director General, GCC Health Ministers’ Executive Council.
According to the report, the officials will discuss plans to combat the possibility of the lethal virus reaching the GCC region. So far, the GCC states reported no cases of swine flu.
