“Health Minister” modernizing blood transfusion services in Kuwait

• The Blood Transfusion Services Department made significant strides by collecting approximately 80,000 blood bags.

• The department produced over 190,000 products from various blood components such as platelets and plasma.

• It also provided 140,000 units of blood for patients of cancer patients, thalassemia, accident victims, and those suffering from bleeding conditions.

• Kuwait’s Sheikha Salwa Al-Sabah Stem Cell and Umbilical Cord Center, is the first in Arab world and second globally, outside the United States, to receive international accreditation.

Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi, the Minister of Health, emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to staying at the forefront of global health advancements to ensure the safety and quality of blood services in Kuwait.

Moreover, Dr. Al-Awadhi stated that the Ministry aims to provide swift, precise responses to emergencies and enhance overall healthcare efficiency across the country, by adopting advanced technologies for virus and microbe detection and implementing electronic linking systems between hospitals and the blood transfusion management services.

In his opening remarks at the 5th Blood Transfusion Services Management Conference, themed ‘New Developments in Blood Transfusion’ Dr. Al-Awadhi highlighted the conference as a premier platform to explore the latest advancements and policies in blood transfusion.

Dr. Al-Awadhi noted that this gathering offers a valuable opportunity to exchange knowledge, share expertise, and showcase medical innovations that drive transformative changes in blood transfusion practices, ultimately enhancing healthcare quality and saving lives.

Furthermore, the Health Minister emphasized the critical role of blood transfusion services, describing them as a lifeline in numerous medical emergencies.

In this context, Dr. Al-Awadhi referred to blood transfusions as the ‘backbone’ of essential healthcare, supporting major surgeries, treating blood disorders, aiding cancer treatments, addressing complications during childbirth, and managing a wide range of other health conditions.

Dr. Al-Awadhi highlighted the Blood Transfusion Services Department’s commitment to ensuring a safe and sustainable blood supply, adhering to the highest international standards. This approach aims to enhance the quality and safety of blood transfusions both locally and internationally.

Also, Dr. Al-Awadhi emphasized upon the development of stringent inspection and auditing processes to safeguard blood safety and minimize the risk of transmitting infectious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis.

Dr. Al-Awadhi emphasized that blood donation operations are carefully monitored through precise testing procedures using the latest technologies. This ensures the community’s trust in the blood transfusion system and guarantees safety for all recipients.

Additionally, Dr. Al-Awadhi also highlighted the Health Ministry’s adoption of advanced cooling technologies and modern preservation solutions, which help extend the shelf life of blood products, maintaining their stability and quality even during long-distance transportation.

On an important aspect, Dr. Al-Awadhi explained that, in an effort to enhance the efficiency of blood component use, Kuwait has successfully developed the ability to separate blood into its various components—red blood cells, plasma, platelets, and clotting factors.

This advancement allows each component to be utilized for treating different medical conditions, significantly improving the effectiveness of treatment and providing more options to meet patient needs.

Dr. Al-Awadhi praised the significant efforts in organizing blood donation campaigns, highlighting their role in promoting a culture of donation that has become an integral part of community awareness. These efforts have also played a crucial role in securing a strategic stock of blood, which he described as a fundamental pillar of Kuwait’s health system.

On the other hand, Dr. Reem Al-Radwan, the Director of the Blood Transfusion Services Department at the Ministry, stated that the two-day conference is a significant milestone in the advancement of blood transfusion practices. She emphasized that it represents a cornerstone of modern medicine, with its profound impact on saving lives and enhancing public health.

Dr. Al-Radwan explained that the conference covers the latest advancements in blood transfusion science, featuring 14 scientific lectures and workshops. The event brings together 16 international experts from four countries to discuss a range of crucial topics.

These include; innovative solutions that incorporate information systems, addressing blood diseases and immunity, managing and recycling blood stocks, ensuring blood supply during crises and disasters, and sharing experiences in transfusion practices for patients with special clinical conditions.

Significantly, Dr. Al-Radwan highlighted that the Blood Transfusion Services Department has made significant strides this year, including the collection of approximately 80,000 blood bags.

Additionally, the department has produced over 190,000 products from various blood components such as platelets and plasma. They also provided 140,000 units of blood to meet the needs of hospitals, ensuring the availability of blood for cancer patients, thalassemia patients, accident victims, and those suffering from bleeding conditions.

Dr. Al-Radwan emphasized the department’s commitment to implementing the latest international protocols in its advanced laboratories across the country, ensuring the highest safety standards in blood transfusions. She stressed that the goal is for blood to remain a source of hope and healing, providing vital treatment for individuals facing health challenges within the community.

As a significant global achievement, Dr. Al-Radwan highlighted that the laboratories at the Sheikha Salwa Al-Sabah Stem Cell and Umbilical Cord Center, have earned international accreditation for molecular testing from the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapeutics (AABB).

This achievement makes the center the ‘first institution in the Arab world and the second globally, outside the United States, to receive this prestigious accreditation’.

Dr. Al-Radwan emphasized that the Central Blood Bank has successfully renewed its international recognition for molecular testing from the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapeutics (AABB).

Adding further, Dr. Al-Radwan shared that this remarkable achievement reflects the steadfast commitment to upholding the highest standards of quality and safety in blood transfusion services in Kuwait.

Dr. Al-Radwan explained that the Blood Transfusion Services Department has been actively promoting the culture of donation and volunteering in the community.

This year, 248 donation campaigns have been organized, involving government agencies, individuals, institutions, companies, and communities.

These efforts have led to the collection of 15,800 blood bags, a record number that demonstrates the community’s strong solidarity in supporting the noble goal of ‘saving human life’.