Damascus, (SANA) – 'The Regional Meeting on Role of Radio Stations in Spreading Health Awareness in Rural Areas in the Arab Nation' kicked off on Monday at Damascus Meridien Hotel, organized by the Syrian Ministry of Health in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Islamic Cultural, Educational, and Scientific Conference Organization (ICESCO).

The three-day meeting aims to identify and bolster the role of radio stations in spreading health awareness among social groups which are difficult to reach through other mediums.

Assistant Minister of Health Dr. Mohammad Jamil al-Owayid affirmed the importance of this regional meeting in improving the health situation of the Arab people by spreading health concepts and methods of self-care and protection from disease, which cannot be achieved without a true partnership with the mass media.

He pointed out that radio stations played an important role in identifying several health issues, leading to the success of several national health programs, such as the National Vaccination Program.

Representative of the WHO in Syria Ibrahim Beit-al-Mal gave a speech on behalf of the WHO Regional Director for the Middle East Dr. Hussein Abdul-Razeq al-Jazairi, in which he stressed the importance of radio as the oldest mass media which can connect people and reach distant and remote areas.

He added that the meeting is part of joint activities by the WHO and the ICESCO that aim for developing radio work and use it to spread health awareness in rural and remote areas.

In turn, Representative of the ICESCO Dr. Abdul-Aziz al-Jabbouri stated that the meeting will discuss the suitable means for spreading awareness of issues directly and indirectly related to public health and providing them with the needed skills to solve health problems by changing incorrect health habits and behavior.

The WHO Consultant Dr. Haytham al-Khayyat reviewed the basis of healthcare, focusing on the need for the participation of individuals and communities in health development and the important role of mass media in spreading awareness.

The first day's session focused on the main activities of the WHO and mass media in the age of health crisis, in addition to discussing the situation in Darfur and Pakistan, means for handling crisis, and mechanisms for combating discrimination and stigmatization when producing programs dealing with AIDS.

The meeting was attended by radio journalists from the public and private sectors in Syria and Arab countries, members of the health sector, experts from the WHO and the ICESCO, representatives of the UN programs in Syria, and a number of journalists.

H. Sabbagh / Ahmad Fathi ZAHRA