Within the framework of the OIC Strategic Health Programme of Action 2014-2023, SESRIC, in coordination with the OIC General Secretariat, organised the “Brainstorming Workshop for the OIC Medical Corps” on 17-18 July 2019 at SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara, Turkey to discuss the operational plan and mechanisms for implementing the OIC Medical Corps, which was adopted during the 6^th Islamic Conference of Health Ministers, held on 05-07 December 2017 in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Workshop was attended by Member States of the OIC Steering Committee on Health (SCH), namely Turkey, Sudan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Morocco, Mauritania and Uganda. The OIC General Secretariat, relevant OIC institutions including SESRIC, IsDB, and ISESCO, as well as Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) working under the umbrella of the OIC Ibn Sina Health Alliance of NGOs, including the Federation of Islamic Medical Associations (FIMA), Doctors Worldwide Turkey (DWWT), and Turkish Red Crescent also attended the meeting.

H.E. Mr Nebil Dabur, Director General of SESRIC, welcomed the country delegations and representatives. In his welcoming remarks, H.E. Mr Dabur underlined the excellent cooperation between SESRIC and the OIC General Secretariat in organising this brainstorming workshop. He highlighted the importance if the OIC Medical Corps and expressed the hope that the initiative will serve as a bridge to build a long-term coalition among relevant actors by combining the expertise, know-how, networks and resources of the collaborating countries and organisations. He reiterated that as a subsidiary organ of the OIC, SESRIC is committed to facilitate the work to identify the needs of existing emergency and response services of the public health, as well as to organise capacity building events to improve the quality of health and strengthening the governance of health sector in the OIC Countries.

The representative of the OIC General Secretariat Mr Abdunur M. Sekindi, delivered a message to the participants on behalf of OIC Secretary General H.E. Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen. In his message, H.E. Dr Al-Othaimeen called for concerted efforts among all the stakeholders to save lives and alleviate suffering in the OIC Member States by delivering quality medical services to the undeserved communities and victims of health emergencies.

During the workshop, three roundtables have been conducted on Issues related to the Membership, Governance and Working Mechanisms of the OIC Medical Corps. The discussions included reflections on the principles and rules for membership, including main competencies, roles and responsibilities of potential members, and the organisational setting of the initiative; governing body, secretariat, and functioning mechanisms for the activities to carry out under the OIC Medical Corps initiative. Furthermore, participants delivered on the draft Rules of Procedures (RoPs) of the Medical Corps.

The outcome document of the “Brainstorming Workshop for the OIC Medical Corps” will be submitted to the Steering Committee on Health for further elaborations, and to the next Islamic Conference of Health Ministers, which will be held on December 2019 in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.

The OIC Medical Corps will serve as a platform for all stakeholders to coordinate their efforts in situations of health emergencies in the OIC countries. By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, this initiative aims to reorient devastated health care systems in OIC Countries and help bring them back to self-reliance.

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