The Steering Committee on Health (SCH) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held here today an emergency virtual meeting at the level of health ministers on novel Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. OIC Secretary General Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, addressed the meeting, saying that it convenes at a time the entire world is facing an unprecedented challenge in human history, as millions of people are infected with the Novel Coronavirus Disease COVID-19. He pointed to COVID-19's impacts on economy, health and different walks of social life, stating that this required OIC Member States to take immediate and decisive preventive, treatment and sensitization measures at the national, regional and international levels to curb the spread of the disease and protect people. Dr. Al-Othaimeen stressed the determination of the OIC and its institutions to play their roles in helping the Member States to fight COVID-19 collectively, emphasizing the OIC's readiness to utilize its available resources to help the peoples of the Islamic world in these difficult times. The Secretary General said that many of the healthcare systems of OIC Member States need urgent support to face the steady increase in the numbers of patients, expressing appreciation to the Islamic Development Bank and the Islamic Solidarity Fund (OIC-ISF) for their initiatives to address the adverse impacts of the pandemic. He appealed to all the Member States, their governments, institutions and individuals, to make generous donations to the OIC-ISF, so as to enable the OIC to provide the much-needed support. --More 14:14 LOCAL TIME 11:14 GMT 0012 www.spa.gov.sa/2071965
