RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Health Tawfiq Al-Rabiah highlighted the role of modern technology in dealing with diseases and several health-related issues on Wednesday during a two-day Riyadh Global Digital Health Summit. “Digital tools, along with the implementation of exceptional health and safety measures, have assisted us successfully navigating one of the largest gatherings in the world under extraordinary circumstances,” Al-Rabiah said while announcing the Riyadh Digital Health Declaration at the closing session of the summit. Thanking the participants and the organizers of the event, the minister said: “The collaborative efforts exerted by all participants are showcased in the success of this momentous event.” Making the closing remarks at the end of the summit, Dr. Bandar Bin Abdulmohsen Al-Knawy, the CEO at the Ministry of the National Guard and the president of King Saud bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences, highlighted the steps taken by the Kingdom in the wake of the pandemic and the successful organization of the annual Hajj pilgrimage amid the health crisis. Dr. Al-Knawy said: “We should strive to decrease inequities and embrace digital inclusion. Digital health should enable and empower people, as well as healthcare systems, to prevent and treat communicable and non-communicable diseases.” He outlined recommendations to further the integration of digital health into healthcare systems to treat disease. "The declaration is a call to action...to share digital health evidence-based practices and high-quality data... to enable more health systems and countries to have actionable insights," Dr. Al-Knawy added. The summit, which was organized by the health affairs of the Ministry of National Guard and the Saudi Center for International Strategic Partnerships in cooperation with the Saudi Secretariat of the G20, sought to highlight the role of digital health to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the healthcare system. The summit brought global leaders in healthcare together from across the world to discuss how digital health technology could aid in the fight against coronavirus.