Kuwait sets global benchmark in health and sustainability

• Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi, the Minister of Health, highlighted the ministry’s aspiration to expand the Healthy Cities system to include all regions of Kuwait, contributing to the highest levels of well-being for citizens and residents alike.

Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi, the Minister of Health, stated that Kuwait is a regional and global model in health promotion and sustainable development, thanks to wise leadership prioritizing health security and overcoming challenges, Q8-Press reported.

Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi, in his speech at the opening of the second Kuwait Conference on Healthy Cities (Healthy Cities for Community Development) on Monday, stated that the vision of New Kuwait 2035 and the national development plans serve as a strategic framework that presents a significant challenge for the ministry in providing high-quality healthcare to all segments of society.

He added that the Healthy Cities Initiative derives its strength and sustainability from active community participation and the involvement of various sectors in achieving health development. He explained that close cooperation between the government, private sectors, and academic and research institutions enhances the comprehensiveness of this approach, making the integration of health into all policies a reality.

He highlighted the ministry’s aspiration to expand the Healthy Cities system to include all regions of Kuwait, contributing to the highest levels of well-being for citizens and residents alike.

Healthy cities regional network includes 121 cities across 15 countries

Meanwhile, Dr. Hanan Al-Balkhi, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, stated that the regional network of healthy cities includes 121 cities across 15 countries, including 18 Kuwaiti cities, seven of which meet the World Health Organization’s criteria for evaluating healthy cities.

Al-Balkhi noted that Kuwait is progressing rapidly towards becoming a regional leader in promoting urban environments that support health, sustainability, and community resilience.

She added that healthy cities have a positive and measurable impact on climate change by reducing pollution, increasing green spaces, promoting healthy lifestyles, and preventing health risk factors.

She pointed out that cities participating in the Healthy Cities Program have made remarkable progress in eightyprogram indicators, covering areas such as community, health, environment, social participation, and more.

For her part, Dr. Fatima Al-Najjar, Assistant Undersecretary for Non-Governmental Medical Services Affairs at the Ministry of Health, stated that the ministry’s commitment to implementing community initiatives is based on scientific evidence and medical research, which confirm that public health is shaped by a society’s administrative systems and lifestyles.

Al-Najjar emphasized the collective efforts toward human well-being, starting with meeting basic developmental needs and advancing sectoral integration to provide optimal support for health and sustainable development, aligning with the seven pillars of the development plan and the New Kuwait 2035 vision.

In turn, Dr. Amal Al-Yahya, the Head of the Healthy Cities Office and President of the Conference, highlighted in her speech the achievements, models, and lessons learned from a decade of implementing the Healthy Cities Initiative in Kuwait.

Al-Yahya stated that Kuwait adopted the initiative using an effective community participatory approach, supported by technical, logistical, and political backing. This effort led to the registration of eighteen Kuwaiti cities and the official adoption of seven as part of the regional Healthy Cities Network.