A strong primary Health care system is central to improving the health, and removing inequalities in health care. There is strong evidence available about the effective contribution, that primary health care make to improve health outcomes.

Primary care is an approach to health care that includes a range of services designed to keep people well, from promotion of health and screening of diseases to assessment, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation as well as personal social services.

The ultimate goal of primary health care is a better health for all. The WHO has identified five key elements to achieve that goal; reducing exclusion and social disparities in health (universal coverage reforms); organizing health services around people's needs and expectations (service delivery reforms); integrating health into all sectors (public policy reforms); pursuing collaborative models of policy dialogue (leadership reforms); and increasing stakeholder participation.

The 7th GCC primary health care conference is conducted as an activation to resolution No. (1) on primary health care, of the sixty-fifth Conference of the Council of Ministers of Health of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

The conference theme is "primary healthcare ….challenges and opportunities in a changing world". The main documents adopted in the conference is the world Health report 2008 "primary health care now more than ever" and Qater Declaration "Health and well –being through Health Systems based on Primary Healht Care" – November 2008.

Where some of the main aimes is to point out today's health challenges and share the experiences of the guest countries and the region to face these challenges, and also to identify the equity principles, social justice, and agreeing on the mechanisms to facilitates access to services for all.

Looking forward during the conference to boost together the momentum of the joint efforts for providing a quality Primary Care in the light of regional and international changes by using opportunities and facing challenges.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious the Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, the Landlord of All Mankind and Peace and Blessings upon the Last of his Prophets and Messengers Mohammad, peace be upon Him and His companions.

I would like to express my deep thanks to Kingdom of Bahrain for conducting this important event at this time in particular where the world is in a process of revitalizing PHC and its role (Primary Health Care now more than ever).

It is my pleasure to mention that the Health Ministers’ Council for Cooperation Council States passed several resolutions since 1978 (Alma Ata) which included establishment of the Gulf technical committee for Primary Health Care in order to unify the concept for Primary Health Care at the GCC States emphasizing Family Medicine as a strategic goal. Moreover, a lot of systems and regulations were issued supporting the work of Primary Health Care centers and helping them to realize their objectives especially as related to easy access to the service by all populations and giving more care to the most vulnerable groups of the community (children - mothers - elderly - disabled - adolescents - etc.).

Also this had a great effect in upgrading the quality of health care services provided and raising the standards of workers in Primary Health Care centers as well as utilizing the recent trends in the field of quality and realizing linkage through effective referral systems between Primary Health Care centers and secondary and tertiary (highly specialized) levels of services. In addition, PHC centers were helped to employ qualified cadres in the field of family medicine.

I would like once again in the name of the Health Ministers’ Council and its Executive Body and in my name, to extend thanks and gratitude to the Kingdom of Bahrain – H.E Dr. Faisal Bin Yacoub Al-Hamar the Minister of Health, Dr. Mariam Al-Jalahma, the Executive Body member and President of the Conference, and Dr. Awatif Sharaf, the chairperson of the organizing committee, all colleagues and brothers in the Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Bahrain.

I do pray for Allah the Almighty to crown the efforts of those responsible for this Gulf gathering and grant them more success and rightness wishing the participants maximum and full utilization of this outstanding scientific conference heading at coming up with effective recommendations and a Gulf work plan.
Peace be upon you all and the mercy and blessings of Allah