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Under the patronage of HRH Princess Sabeeka, Women Health Summit opens today
Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ebrahim Al Khalifa, wife of HM the King and Supreme Council for Women (SCW) President, delegated Lieutenant General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Health (SCH), to open the Women Health Summit 2023, held under the patronage of Her Royal Highness.
The summit is organised by the Royal Medical Services (RMS) in collaboration with SCW under the theme "Be empowered, be healthy", and is held at the Crown Prince Centre for Training and Medical Research.
It brings together health experts and specialists from around the world, women leaders, entrepreneurs, social figures and other participants and discusses the implement of Social Development Goals related to women's health and equal opportunities and developing healthcare for women.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, Brigadier General Dr. Shaikh Fahad bin Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Commander of the RMS, said that the summit reflected the pivotal role of women as a key component of the society.
Shedding light on factors that ensure better health for women will in turn ensure better health for the society as a whole, he said in the speech delivered on his behalf by Colonel Dr. Feryal Al Saber.
The speech noted that the summit coincides with the Bahraini Women's Day and that its theme indicates the advanced status of Bahraini women as a key and active partner in national decision making.
Brigadier General Dr. Shaikh Fahad commended the role of the SCW in creating an environment conducive for creating opportunities for women to realise their potential, develop their skills and engage in all sectors, including the health sector.
Dr. Jalila bint Al Sayed Jawad Hassan, the Health Minister, said that the Kingdom of Bahrain has given great importance to supporting Bahraini women in various sectors, noting the support of SCW which enabled them to deliver a competitive performance in contributing to development efforts in the kingdom.
The minister said that the Health Ministry has worked closely with the SCW to implement programmes related to women health, which have yielded effective results.
She noted that the ministry boasts a high percentage of women in its team across all levels of its structure, affirming that they have contributed significantly to the development of the health sector in Bahrain.
Professor Ghada Al Qasim, Chairman of RMS In-House Training and head of the Scientific Committee of the summit, commended the role of the SCW in maintaining the sustainability of the progress of Bahraini women and consolidating their role as partners in development, capable of delivering change and achievements.
The Women Health Summit is aimed at highlighting the role of women in the health sector, exchanging expertise and knowledge in the field of women's health, supporting leadership roles of women in healthcare globally and highlighting the status of women as partners in development in the kingdom, she said, adding that those objectives aim to support the competitiveness of women based on the principles of equal opportunities and the efforts to implement Sustainable Development Goals related to gender equality.
Prof. Al Qasim emphasised the importance of joining efforts on an international level to sustain the progress in healthcare for women. She hoped that the summit will succeed in exchanging expertise in areas related to women's health, particularly the treatment of cancers and bone diseases and obesity.
The plenary sessions in the first day of the summit discussed the leadership and empowerment of women, the effects of labour laws on the health of women, the readiness of the healthcare system to address domestic violence and the contribution of women in research and innovation in healthcare.
The second day will focus on cardiac health and vascular diseases in women, obesity, bone diseases, cancer types affecting women mainly and the importance of nutrition and physical activity.