While underscoring the importance of the role that could be played by the media in the campaign against tobacco, Minister of Health Dr Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Mani said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement for combating tobacco. In a statement to SPA, Dr Al-Mani noted that the agreement would project the adverse impact of tobacco. The Health Minister, who has participated in the 52nd session of the Middle East Regional Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO), expressed sorrow for the spread of tobacco-use among the youth in the Arab region. Meanwhile, he described the Saudi-Egyptian relations as "deep-rooted" in various domains including the health sector. Dr Al-Mani said the Saudi Health Ministry has sent a committee to Cairo for signing contracts with hundreds of Egyptian physicians for work at the Saudi hospitals. He pointed out that arrangements are underway to build more than 2000 health centers in various regions of the Kingdom within the next five years. Dr Al-Mani added that the specialist hospitals in the Kingdom are provided with the most sophisticated medical equipment in addition to efficient Saudi physicians.
