ABU DHABI: The UAE Ministerial Development Council, presided over by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, on Sunday reviewed the National Strategy for Health Research in the UAE, as well as a number of initiatives and reports on its agenda.

During the meeting, the council reviewed the strategy to promote scientific research necessary to address the health concerns in the society. The strategy aims to attract qualified talents and create an optimal environment for medical research, providing necessary financing, and encouraging Emiratis to join medical disciplines to meet the vision of UAE 2020 and UAE Centennial 2071.

The implementation of the strategy is expected to enhance UAE’s global position in the field of health and scientific research, and improve the efficiency of health services and of human resources working in the field of health research.

The council also discussed the draft executive regulations for the law on medical liability, which aims to reduce serious medical risks through the establishment of controls and standards of serious medical error and other health matters.

Regulations and mechanisms pertaining to insurance services were also reviewed.

The council discussed the semi-annual report for 2017 on the free trade agreements between the GCC countries and a number of countries around the world. It also revised several reports of the Audit Bureau on the final account for the fiscal year 2016 of the UAE Central Bank, the Federal Demographic Council, the Emirates Red Crescent, the Emirates Post Group and its subsidiaries.