Brussels: Dr. Jaleela bint Al Sayed Jawad Hassan, Bahrain's Minister of Health, led the country's delegation to the global summit titled Health and Prosperity through Immunisation, held in Brussels. The summit was organized by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in collaboration with the European Commission and the Gates Foundation, with the participation of heads of state, government officials, health ministers, and representatives from international organizations.
According to Bahrain News Agency, Dr. Jaleela highlighted Bahrain's steadfast commitment to global immunisation and preventive health initiatives. She credited the Kingdom's proactive approach to the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. The minister emphasized Bahrain's dedication to strengthening international partnerships aimed at safeguarding society and future generations from infectious diseases.
The summit provided a global platform to stress the importance of international solidarity in ensuring equitable access to vaccines, a cornerstone of health and sustainable development. Dr. Jaleela reiterated Bahrain's robust immunisation policy, which offers free routine vaccinations for children to both citizens and residents through a comprehensive network of primary healthcare centers, supported by the private sector.
Dr. Jaleela acknowledged Bahrain's success in eradicating diseases such as polio, diphtheria, and neonatal tetanus, and the recent expansion of the national immunisation program to include the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for school students. These measures, she noted, are indicative of Bahrain's ongoing commitment to a proactive and comprehensive preventive health strategy.
She also highlighted initiatives taken during Bahrain's presidency of the 33rd Arab Summit in 2024, including a proposal to enhance pharmaceutical and vaccine production in Arab countries. This initiative was followed by the Arab Forum for the Development of Pharmaceutical and Vaccine Industry on May 12, 2025, which convened decision-makers and international experts to bolster regional self-sufficiency and strengthen vaccine supply chains.
The minister commended the role of Gavi over the past 25 years in safeguarding more than 1.1 billion children worldwide from vaccine-preventable diseases while supporting health systems and community resilience. On the sidelines of the summit, Dr. Jaleela engaged in numerous meetings with fellow health ministers and senior international health officials to explore collaboration opportunities and exchange expertise in preventive health and universal coverage.