On 16th of September 2021, the UNFPA GCC, in co-operation with the Ministry of Health of Oman (MoH), held for the third consecutive year, the National Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Forum for 2021 virtually.
The theme of this year’s forum was “the psychological health of women and adolescent girls through the pandemic”. The academic presenter and UNFPA expert Dr. Takashi Izutsu from Tokyo University addressed the impacts of lockdowns, social media and exposure to cyber bullying through the pandemic time on the mental health of women and adolescents-especially those with disabilities, and the linkages between the status of the mental health and increase of NCDs. He also highlighted the pillars of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN2006) and the necessity to empower this vulnerable population group.
The opening speeches were given by Mr. Karl Kulessa, UNFPA GCC Representative, who praised the long term co-operation between UNFPA and MoH of Oman to achieve the health vision 2050 of the country, and Dr. Said H. Al-Lamki, Director General of Primary Healthcare at the MoH, who thanked UNFPA for its continuous support.
