His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar Governor of Riyadh on behalf of His Majesty the King,
His Highness Minister Prince Faisal Al Farhan,
Your Excellency Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel,
Your Excellency Dr Abdullah Al Rabeeah,
Excellencies, distinguished panellists, dear colleagues and friends,
Assalamu Alaikum,
As we commemorate World Conjoined Twins Day, I commend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its leadership and for convening this important conference.
Many participants today have done pioneering work in this area, particularly the Saudi Program for Separating Conjoined Twins.
Your work represents remarkable advancements in medical science, but also a deep commitment to the dignity and well-being of the affected children and their families.
From cutting-edge surgical innovations to long-term care strategies, the insights shared at this conference can play a critical role in shaping the future of individuals with this rare condition.
I'd like to give a special thanks, also, to Dr Abdullah Al Rabeeah for his global health leadership and for his important work in this specialized field of paediatric surgery.
Each year, around eight million newborns are born with a congenital anomaly, and about 240 thousand die within their first month of life.
Survivors face significant lifelong challenges, including disability and stigma.
I commend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for setting up a web platform on conjoined twins, which serves as an international registry, and to raise awareness, advocate for research advocacy, and help support families.
Such a platform and registry that encompasses a broad range of congenital anomalies, would also be very useful, especially for low- and middle-income countries.
WHO is committed to supporting and working with Member States to prevent, diagnose, and manage congenital anomalies.
Thank you all for your commitment to health for all, including those born with serious anomalies.
Shukran Jazeelan and thank you.