Assad Hafeez

WHO provides steadfast support to the Kuwaiti government through technical assistance, capacity-building initiatives, and assistance in data collection to enhance the nation’s healthcare system.

What are the current challenges and priorities in Kuwait’s healthcare system, and how is WHO working with the government to address this issue?

Kuwait stands out as a distinctive nation, facing unique challenges within its healthcare landscape like any other country in the world. Despite its relatively compact size in terms of both landmass and population, the healthcare obstacles it faces are varied but can be easily addressed, much like any other healthcare system. These challenges are intricately tied to geographical factors, the composition of its populace, and the profound influence of climate on public health. A pivotal concern centers around non-communicable diseases, which demand our attention. With two-thirds of the resident population comprising expatriates, there exists a significant deficit not only in the number of physicians, but also in nurses and paramedics within Kuwait’s healthcare sector. In summary, these are some of the overarching factors casting a shadow on the local healthcare system. In our pursuit of addressing these challenges, the WHO Kuwait country office has adopted a strategy that revolves around capacity building. We are earnestly endeavoring to inspire the youth of Kuwait, both men and women, to actively participate in the delivery of healthcare services and the management of the healthcare system. Furthermore, we recognize the paramount importance of implementing preventive measures upstream to shield individuals from the risk factors that precipitate such diseases. Taking a closer look from the standpoint of treatment and healthcare provision, the enhancement of quality standards is of paramount importance. In this regard, we are collaborating with various institutions to ensure that healthcare facilities have robust quality systems, accreditation processes, and comprehensive quality assurance programs in place. Equally vital is our commitment to ensure that marginalized communities and individuals who may not readily access digital health initiatives are not left behind in the era of digital healthcare advancement. These are just a few of the strategies we are employing to tackle the broader challenges within the healthcare system.

Can you provide some examples of how WHO cooperates with the government to address these issues?

Our focus lies in collaborating with the government and various stakeholders at the strategic and policy levels. As a newly established office, our initial undertaking involved working closely with the government and all relevant stakeholders to set the priority areas for WHO’s involvement in Kuwait. This comprehensive endeavor, referred to as the Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS), has been meticulously developed and has received the endorsement of the government, WHO, and other key stakeholders. The CCS outlines specific priority areas that have been collectively determined through extensive discussions. Our approach to working with the government encompasses a range of methodologies, beginning with the provision of policy guidance and advisory services at the highest tiers of government to address these identified issues. A crucial component of our efforts involves capacity building both within and outside the Ministry of Health. This encompasses a diverse array of domains, including evidence-based policy development, methodological expertise, proficiency in health economics, and its integral connection to informed policy decisions, effective management, and related aspects such as capacity enhancement and the implementation of quality assurance programs. Additionally, WHO facilitates policy dialogues that engage various stakeholders, including the government, other United Nations agencies, representatives from the private sector, civil society organizations, and end users. The aim of these dialogues is to establish and fortify an ecosystem grounded in evidence-based information. This is an essential prerequisite before accurate data sourced from communities and institutions can ascend to the Ministry of Health, where established mechanisms exist to transform data into actionable policies. Throughout this entire cycle, WHO provides steadfast support through technical assistance, capacity-building initiatives, and assistance to the government in monitoring and evaluating data collection and analysis. Our role is to ensure that the healthcare policies and strategies implemented in Kuwait are firmly rooted in evidence, thereby contributing to the overall enhancement of the nation’s healthcare system.