7. The Meeting commends the efforts made by the OIC on several levels since the beginning of the crisis to contribute to combating the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, notably: - The call of the OIC General Secretariat on the peoples of Member States to abide by the necessary preventive measures to curb the spread of the disease. It has launched awareness campaigns in three languages through its various social media platforms and has highlighted the efforts of Member States through designing and production of video clips to raise awareness of the seriousness of the pandemic; - The Rapid Response Initiative of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to allocate financial resources to support Member States in their efforts to contain the negative effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; - The initiative of the Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF) to allocate an account to assist Member States, especially the least developed countries (LDCs), to strengthen their capabilities in response to the pandemic, particularly in the health sector; - The meeting of the OIC Steering Committee on Health held on April 9, 2020 and expresses its support for its important recommendations on the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; - The Second Fiqh Medical Symposium of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) to review the various Fiqh aspects to deal with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 8. The Meeting acknowledges the important role of the religious and community leaders, Islamic scholars, and prominent figures in raising public awareness about personal hygiene, safe practices, and appropriate social behaviors as important tools to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and protect lives in Member States. It also emphasizes the importance of following the recommended precautions drawn from the objectives of the noble Islamic principles and teachings to ward off risks and protect lives. In this regard, it appreciates the efforts made by Member States and their religious leaders to prevent the spread of the pandemic and protect lives, including the temporary closure of mosques and places of worship. In the same context, it supports the measures taken regarding the Two Holy Mosques and Al-Aqsa Mosque, and all additional measures Member States would adopt as a top priority necessitated by principles and teachings. It stresses the importance of the timely decision taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to suspend Umrah and visits to the Prophet’s Mosque. 9. The Meeting stresses the importance of strengthening the coordination of national and regional efforts to draw up containment strategies to stem the spread of the disease in Member States and to enhance the capacity of health and medical personnel to prevent and control infectious diseases, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19). 10. The Meeting encourages Member States to contribute to the efforts aimed at meeting the shortage of essential medical supplies, especially testing kits and personal protective equipment for health workers in Member States, especially in the vulnerable ones. It encourages them to scale up timely and transparent sharing of information on the issues of global public health concern on the prevention, detection, and treatment of the coronavirus (COVID-19). 11. The Meeting calls upon the General Secretariat and its organs to connect the research organizations in the field of medical sciences and medical equipment and also to incorporate the business bodies of the Member States to facilitate bulk production of the required medical items. --More 01:01 LOCAL TIME 22:01 GMT 0031 www.spa.gov.sa/w1312586