Region

Tuesday, May 19, 2026 | Daily Newspaper published by GPPC Doha, Qatar.

Region

Gulf Times

GCC achieves 100% coverage of basic vaccines during 2024

Data issued by the Statistical Center for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf revealed that the Council countries achieved a remarkable milestone in the field of immunization, as the coverage rate for essential vaccines reached 100 percent during 2024, compared to approximately 84 percent globally. This reflects the efficiency of national immunization programs and the strength of public health systems in the GCC countries.The data provided in the weekly bulletin issued on the occasion of World Health Day 2026 indicates that the GCC countries continue to bolster their leading role in supporting global health through investment in medical research and development, and by expanding access to affordable medicines and vaccines. This confirms that continuous investment in health infrastructure and the strengthening of international cooperation represent the cornerstone of Gulf health policies to achieve universal health coverage and ensure a sustainable, healthy future for all.In the context of supporting international health efforts, the volume of the GCC countries' contribution to financing the health sector and medical research within Official Development Assistance (ODA) reached approximately US$842.7 million during 2023. This represents about 4.6 percent of the total international development assistance, providing a clear indicator of these countries' commitment to enhancing global health and transferring medical knowledge.The bulletin emphasizes that these efforts come within the framework of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the third goal concerned with ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages, with a focus on supporting scientific research as a primary pillar for improving the quality of health services.Furthermore, the GCC countries highlight their role as active partners in supporting developing nations by contributing to the development of health systems and enhancing their capacities to face health challenges, in addition to ensuring that essential medicines and vaccines reach various population groups.

Gulf Times

Gaza board envoy says ceasefire holding but ‘far from perfect’

The high representative for Gaza in US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace yesterday said the fragile ceasefire in the Palestinian territory was holding despite daily violations. “We have a ceasefire. It is holding... It is far from perfect. There are violations every day, and some of them are very serious,” said Nickolay Mladenov during a meeting with the Foreign Press Association in Jerusalem.The ceasefire officially came into force on October 10. Gaza remains gripped by violence, as Israeli strikes continue and both sides trade blame over ceasefire violations.The first phase of the truce saw the release of the last hostages seized in October 2023, in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel. The transition to the second phase — involving Hamas’s disarmament and a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army, which still controls more than 50% of the Gaza Strip — has been stalled for weeks, while international attention has been focused on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. Mladenov urged Hamas yesterday to relinquish power over the parts of the Gaza Strip it controls and lay down its weapons. “We are asking the political leadership of those who govern Gaza now to step aside. This is required by the Security Council resolution in the 20-point plan,” said the envoy, referring to the peace plan for the territory sponsored by the US president. “We are not asking Hamas to disappear as a political movement. A political party that disavows armed activity can compete in national Palestinian elections,” he said.“What is not negotiable, however, is that armed factions or militias... can exist alongside a transitional Palestinian authority,” he continued. For those who refuse disarmament, the plan offers the option of “safe passage to third countries”, he added. Mladenov meanwhile pointed to the scale of destruction in the Palestinian territory, noting that it would take a long time to rebuild.“If we look at the tens of millions of tons of rubble that needs to be removed, at the number of people, over a million people, who need some sort of permanent shelter and basic water and sanitation — this is, by any scale, a generation of work for Gaza,” said Mladenov.