Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, met Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organisation, at Al Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
The pair discussed the continuing co-operation between the UAE and the WHO and ways to further develop this relationship.
Sheikh Mohamed was briefed by Dr Tedros about the WHO's work, both regionally and globally, in confronting and eliminating infectious diseases.
He also spoke about recent developments in tackling the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Tedros noted that the UAE is one of the WHO's main supporters of its programmes to eliminate epidemics and infectious diseases.
He praised Sheikh Mohamed's humanitarian health initiatives that help eliminate infectious diseases in poorer areas of the world.
These include the UAE's polio vaccination campaign in Pakistan and the Reaching the Last Mile organisation that has helped to eliminate river blindness – which is spread by flies near fast-flowing rivers – and combat Guinea worm disease.
“His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed's keen interest in eliminating communicable diseases and his co-operation with the international organisation have led to key successes in fighting diseases in Africa,” Dr Tedros said.
“The UAE is a key supporter of WHO's programmes and initiatives to eliminate epidemics and communicable diseases.”
Dr Tedros commended the UAE's continuing support for medical staff and frontline workers in countries struggling to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the UAE was one of the best countries in the world in dealing with the pandemic, helped by the speed and flexibility of the measures it has taken.
Sheikh Mohamed said the UAE is keen to support the WHO's efforts tackling Covid-19, in addition to supporting efforts to eradicate other diseases and pandemics.
He said the UAE's efficient management of the Covid-19 crisis led to the pandemic’s containment and return to normality.
UAE's polio vaccination campaign in Pakistan - in pictures
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A health worker administers polio vaccine drops to a child during a door-to-door campaign in Karachi, Pakistan. AFP -
A girl gets her finger marked after she is administered polio vaccine drops at a civil dispensary in Peshawar. Reuters -
A girl receives vaccine drops during an anti-polio campaign in a low-income neighbourhood in Karachi. Reuters -
A health worker administers polio vaccine drops to a child during a polio vaccination campaign at a slum area in Lahore. AFP -
Security officials offer funeral prayers for a slain policeman killed in an attack on polio vaccination workers in Karak, a town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. AFP -
A boy gets his finger marked after he is administered polio vaccine drops in Karachi. Reuters -
A health worker administers polio vaccine drops in Lahore. AFP -
A boy receives polio vaccine drops in Karachi. Reuters -
Policemen escort health workers during a polio vaccination door-to-door campaign in a slum area in Islamabad. AFP
