On Sunday, September 6, 2026, the Kingdom of Bahrain hosted the 89th Meeting of the Council of Health Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Yemen, with the participation of Their Excellencies and Highnesses the Ministers of Health and their respective official delegations.
The 89th Meeting opened with remarks by Her Excellency Dr. Jaleela bint Sayed Jawad Hassan, Minister of Health of the Kingdom of Bahrain and Chair of the Council’s current session. She welcomed Their Excellencies and Highnesses the Ministers of Health and participating delegations, emphasizing the importance of strengthening joint Gulf cooperation in the health sector to advance integration and align efforts toward a more efficient and sustainable Gulf health system.
For his part, His Excellency Sulaiman bin Saleh AlDakhil, Director General of the Health Council for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, expressed his sincere gratitude to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, for his generous support of joint Gulf health efforts. He also commended Her Excellency Dr. Jaleela bint Sayed Jawad Hassan for the warm welcome and excellent organization of the meeting.
He also commended the commitment of the Ministers of Health of the member states to attending the meeting, highlighting their pivotal role in advancing the Council’s work and reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening Gulf health integration.
The meeting addressed a number of key projects, decisions, and topics on the agenda, including the adoption of the updated Gulf Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (2026–2030), along with its follow-up framework. Discussions also covered measures related to the registration and pricing of medicines across member states, as well as efforts to strengthen strategic supply chains and enhance health preparedness for public health emergencies.
The meeting concluded with the GCC Ministers of Health reaffirming their commitment to continued coordination and joint action in implementing the adopted decisions and recommendations, with the aim of strengthening prevention and advancing the health and well-being of communities across the region.