The GCC ministries of health formed the "GCC Heart Disease Committee" in 1999 which established the GHA in 2002.Most members of the GHA are physicians working for ministries of health or government hospitals.

GHA is an independent organization sharing the same aims with the ministries of health in promoting health and combating heart disease. The GHA is working with Ministries of Health to achieve its humane goals. The GCC Ministries of Health asked the GHA through the GCC Heart Disease Committee" to establish primary prevention programs to combat cardiovascular disease in the region and establish a unified registry for heart disease in the GCC states.

The ministers supported the GHA plans and they promised to help and facilitate its activities. In January 2003, the GCC ministers agreed to have a GHA representative attend their meetings.  

The GHA has organized annual symposium in various GCC states including Doha, Manama, Sanaa and Dubai. It has also organized annual international GCC cardiovascular conferences in Doha, Muscat, and Riyadh.

The GHA is also active in developing guidelines for the treatment of various cardiovascular diseases. Up to date, three guidelines were either completed or in their final stages including:

" The treatment of Acute coronary Syndrome (ACS)
" The treatment of ST elevation Myocardial Infarction (MI) i.e. heart attack.
" Use of anticoagulants (blood thinners)

We are planning to develop guidelines for the treatment of hypertension, congestive heart failure … etc.

The GHA established a peer-reviewed journal called 'Heart Views' which is published quarterly.

We have organized teams with expertise in cardiovascular disease to perform invasive cardiac procedures and cardiovascular operations within the GCC countries. We started this program in Yemen in 2004. The GHA also conducted a cardiovascular workshop on echocardiography in Dubai during 2005 which presented the latest technique in the field. There are plans to have more workshops during 2006.

The GHA has developed very successful relationships with several pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies in the region. Sanofi-Aventis and Servier are the two most supportive of GHA. These companies are currently supporting several GHA activities.
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) agreed to have special relations with GHA, where members of the GHA will be considered members of the ESC.

Finally, the most important accomplishment is that all the GHA activities are done with the cooperation of all GHA members in the GCC States.  

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in the GCC states as well as in the world. The risk factors for CAD such as diabetes, smoking, obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and inactivity contribute to the development and acceleration of CAD. Unfortunately these risk factors are prevalent in the Gulf. In fact, the prevalence of diabetes in GCC states is higher than in the rest of the world.

There is already growing awareness in our region of the link between smoking and CAD. However, the public is still unaware that passive smoking is almost as dangerous and harmful to health as active smoking.

Data on heart disease in the Gulf is fragmented and rare. The need for accurate documentation and analysis of the incidence, prevalence, treatment success, and mortality of heart disease could be achieved prospectively through a well established central registry for all the GCC states. This is the task that the GHA is eager to accomplish with the cooperation of the GCC Ministries of Health Executive Office  

GHA Board Of Directors