Minister of Health vows cutting-edge care for cancer patients

• Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi, the Minister of Health, emphasized that the ministry’s primary focus is on building national human capacity and training professionals in the latest technologies, recognizing their importance in enhancing the quality of healthcare services.

Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi, the Minister of Health, reaffirmed on Saturday the ministry’s commitment to keeping pace with the latest scientific and technological advancements, particularly in diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for cancer patients, the Al Jarida newspaper reported.

This was stated by Minister Al-Awadhi in his speech at the opening of the Regional Conference on Medical Physics in the Middle East, held under the theme “Promoting Acceleration in Radiomedicine.”

The event is organized by the Middle East Federation of Organizations of Medical Physics in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Kuwait Women’s Health Association and is hosted by the Kuwait Cancer Control Center.

Dr. Al-Awadhi emphasized that the Ministry of Health is fully committed to achieving this goal, with a primary focus on building national human capacities and training professionals in the latest technologies, recognizing their importance in enhancing the quality of healthcare services.

600 highly qualified medical and technical staff

He highlighted that the Kuwait Cancer Control Center is among the leading cancer treatment facilities in the region, offering comprehensive care for cancer patients and employing over 600 highly qualified medical and technical staff specializing in oncology.

Minister Al-Awadhi further announced, “We are on the verge of opening the new Kuwait Cancer Control Center, which will be equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic and radiation therapy technologies, including Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and Positron Emission Tomography (PET),” he added.

He emphasized that radiation therapy is one of the most effective treatments for cancer, with millions of patients receiving it annually for various types of cancer, including brain, breast, head, neck, prostate, skin, and cervical cancers. He noted that providing radiation therapy requires an integrated team of oncologists, medical physicists, and radiotherapy technicians, each playing a crucial role in ensuring the highest levels of accuracy and safety.

He also highlighted the vital role of medical physicists in optimizing radiotherapy and medical imaging devices. Their expertise ensures precise tumor targeting and plays a key role in radiation therapy planning by accurately determining the location, size, and dimensions of tumors while minimizing damage to healthy tissues. This enhances treatment effectiveness and improves patient outcomes.

Advancements in integrating fast and intelligent systems to enhance patient care

For his part, Dr. Meshari Al-Nuaimi, President of the Middle East Federation of Organizations of Medical Physics (MEFOMP), Head of the Department of Radiological Physics at the Kuwait Cancer Control Center, and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the conference, stated that the theme of this conference reflects the advancements in integrating fast and intelligent systems to enhance patient care and outcomes in the Middle East and beyond.

Al-Nuaimi added that the conference is more than just a gathering of experts—it is a shared commitment to a noble cause: promoting and protecting human life by discussing the latest developments and strengthening collaboration to make radiology safer, more precise, and more effective.

Promoting women’s health through radiology

He explained that the conference program includes morning sessions exploring future trends, innovations, and technologies that constitute “radical medicine,” along with in-depth discussions on advancements in medical imaging, X-ray therapy, radiation dose management, developments in CT dosimetry, and machine learning applications. Additionally, the program focuses on promoting women’s health through radiology.

For her part, Dr. Iman Al-Tawhid, Consultant in Gynecology at the Kuwait Cancer Control Center and President of the Kuwait Women’s Health Association, stated in her speech, “We are proud to participate in organizing this important conference, and we deeply appreciate the contributions of medical physicists in clinical practice. Without their expertise, we would not be able to ensure that patient treatment is both safe and accurate.”

Global experts convene for pioneering cancer treatment conference

The conference, attended by more than 50 international experts and lecturers from leading cancer treatment centers at regional and global levels, features 65 lectures over three days. Additionally, specialized workshops will be held on the sidelines of the event, bringing together experts in key areas such as artificial intelligence applications, automation of quality control tests in medical imaging, and dosimetry audits in radiotherapy.

The conference focuses on advanced developments and pioneering innovations in radiology, providing an opportunity to explore the latest advancements in artificial intelligence and automation applications in medical imaging.