The Shura Council State of Qatar

The Shura Council participated in the World Health Assembly Parliamentary Forum, organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union in cooperation with the World Health Organization at the Organization’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, under the theme: “From Commitment to Action: Strengthening Parliamentary Leadership for the Implementation of the WHO Pandemic Agreement and Sustainable Health Financing.”
The Shura Council was represented at the Forum by H.E. Dr. Mona bint Abdulrahman Al Musallamani, Member of the Council.
In her intervention during a panel discussion held as part of the Forum, H.E. Dr. Mona Al Musallamani affirmed the State of Qatar’s support for international efforts aimed at adopting an effective pandemic agreement. She stressed the importance of moving from the stage of international commitments to national implementation through legislation and effective parliamentary oversight, while promoting equity in access to healthcare services, transparency in information sharing, and the equitable sharing of benefits and responsibilities among countries. She further noted that health financing is no longer an issue that can be deferred, but rather a sovereign priority, emphasizing the importance of utilizing health taxes, national emergency funds, and regional and international partnerships to strengthen health preparedness. Her Excellency also expressed the Shura Council’s readiness to complete the procedures for ratifying the agreement in accordance with the approved constitutional mechanisms.
The Forum discussed ways to strengthen the parliamentary role in supporting the implementation of the World Health Organization Pandemic Agreement and translating international commitments into national policies and legislation. It also examined mechanisms for sustainable financing of the health sector, as well as the role of parliaments in approving budgets and supportive legislation to enhance health preparedness and improve responses to epidemics and public health emergencies.