^{OIC Coordination Meeting on Health Issues Convenes during the 70th World Health Assembly}

^{23/05/2017- The OIC General Secretariat in coordination with Turkey, Chair of the 5th Session of the Islamic Conference of Health Ministers (ICHM) organised a Coordination Meeting on the margins of the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva on 22 May 2017. The Meeting was attended by Senior Officials of the Member States who are attending the week-long 70th WHA. The Meeting provided a perfect opportunity to the Member States to assess the global heath agenda from the OIC perspective and to form harmonised positions on a number of issues of common interest.}

^{In her remarks on behalf of the Secretary General, the OIC Permanent Observer to the UN in Geneva Amb. Nassema Baghli highlighted OIC programmes and activities. She noted that OIC had become an important partner in health related initiatives at the international level.}

^{On his part, the Representative of Turkey Dr. Oner Gunar, Director General of EU and Foreign Affairs in the Ministry of Health hailed the OIC General Secretariat for embracing this important initiative. He underscored the importance of such a gathering in affording the OIC Member States the opportunity to shape and influence the global health agenda.}

^{The Meeting was also addressed by the Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia who gave a brief on the preparations for the 6th session of ICHM scheduled to be held in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 5-7 December 2017.}

^{The Meeting listened to the OIC-endorsed candidate for the post of Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr. Sania Nishtar from Pakistan. She outlined her vision for the WHO and called on Member States to rally behind her to implement her vision for the good of the WHO and global health at large.}

^{The highly billed election of the new Director General of the WHO, in which three candidates from Pakistan, Ethiopia and United Kingdom, are running for the office is scheduled for 23 May 2017.}

^{Source: http://www.oic-oci.org/topic/?t_id=13606&t_ref=5925&lan=en}