Health Minister Dr Ali Al-Obaidi (right) is presented a memento by WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ala Alwan at the 62nd Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean Region of the World Health Organization on Tuesday

KUWAIT: Health Minister Dr Ali Al-Obaidi said yesterday his ministry has managed to control diseases, viruses and cholera thanks to its successful precautions. Three out of five cholera cases have already recovered in the country, the minister said in an exclusive statement to KUNA, citing recent World Health Organization’s (WHO) reports commending Kuwait’s cholera control measures. He even vowed that his ministry will reveal any information about cholera or any other disease in full transparency and clarity. “The ministry is continuously in touch with citizens through mass media in order to report new statistics. In case of outbreak of epidemic diseases, the ministry will immediately inform the WHO,” he added.

However, the minister warned of rumors and unofficial statements about the health situation in the country. At the 62nd Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean Region of the World Health Organization held on Tuesday, the minister said the conferees had discussed several health issues, chiefly medical treatment costs. They also addressed the subject of evaluating health technology and boosting the capacity of health systems through appropriate and effective methods to assess health technology and choose better healthcare, he noted.

Obaidi said Kuwait’s hosting of the session highlights the close cooperation with WHO since Kuwait joined the organization in 1960. The fruitful cooperation covers various areas and serves many objectives for which the organization was established, the minister said in his inaugural speech at the regional committee - the decision-making body of the organization.

“Kuwait contributed to WHO-sponsored researches on combating non-communicable diseases such as heart diseases, hypertension, cancer and diabetes,” Dr Obaidi said, citing the launching of the Kuwait award and HH the Amir’s award for research in healthcare for the elderly and the country’s contribution to the global fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

The launch of Kuwait’s appeal for combating and preventing chronic diseases is another evidence of growing cooperation, particularly after the issuance of the relevant UN political statement in Sept 2011, he pointed out. Obaidi welcomed the attendees at the RC session, foremost among who are the WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan and WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ala Alwan and the ministers of health of the 22 RC member states.

He extolled HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- Jaber Al-Sabah for his constant support of efforts of the ministry of health to improve health services for all citizens, and thanked HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al- Hamad Al-Sabah for his patronage of the RC meeting. He noted that the meeting coincided with the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit held in New York to adopt 17 sustainable development goals, including a healthrelated one.

Obaidi renewed Kuwait’s commitment to working with WHO and all partners to advance the health agenda, not only in Kuwait but in the region as a whole. Alwan and Chan also addressed the gathering. Obaidi later said PM Sheikh Jaber will open the new Razi Hospital on Oct 23. “The new hospital is part of expansion projects with the aim of improving health services for both citizens and expatriates,” he underlined. — KUNA