UN representative praises Kuwait’s approach in combating pandemic
KUWAIT CITY, April 10: The whole world celebrated World Health Day on Tuesday amid the Covid-19 crisis that has so far infected more than 130 million people and caused the death of about three million people around the world, reports Al-Anba daily.
Speaking on this occasion, Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Resident Coordinator in Kuwait Dr Tariq Al-Sheikh extolled Kuwait’s approach in combating the pandemic from the beginning.
In a joint statement with the Ministry of Health and Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), Dr Al-Sheikh hailed Kuwait’s approach in curbing the spread of coronavirus through prompt application of protocols and precautionary measures in line with the recommendations of international health authorities.
He pointed out that the government, under the leadership of HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and Minister of Health Sheikh Dr Basel Al-Sabah, along with the medical entities, have been exerting tremendous efforts to protect public health by preparing hospitals, opening quarantine facilities and holding field campaigns for checkups and vaccinations.
Praised
He also praised the efforts of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, led by Minister Dr Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, in facilitating the return of Kuwaitis from different countries during the pandemic. He stressed the need for citizens and expatriates to strictly comply with the precautionary and preventive measures laid down by the health authorities. He pointed out that many people have yet to get vaccinated, urging everyone to respond positively to the calls of authorities and get vaccinated at the designated centers.
Meanwhile, representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Kuwait Dr Assad Hafeez said the country plays a pivotal role regionally and internationally in terms of commitment to international health treaties. He affirmed that WHO, in cooperation with the United Nations (UN) teams in Kuwait, is keen on supporting the Kuwaiti government in its efforts towards resumption of normal life as soon as possible.
Health Minister Sheikh Dr Basel Al-Sabah confirmed solidarity between the Ministry of Health and WHO; asserting the ministry is proud to have participated in various meetings and engagements along with WHO as it fully benefitted from the decisions, strategies and plans of action issued by the organization.
On the other hand, KFAS announced the launching of ‘Spread Passion’ awareness campaign, in cooperation with the UN, WHO and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
According to Dr Fatima Al-Mousawi of KFAS, the campaign is aimed at raising public awareness on the importance of vaccines and for people to trust the vaccines.
Abiding
The campaign also highlights the importance of abiding by the precautionary measures, such as wearing face masks, maintaining social distancing and washing hands regularly in light of the coronavirus pandemic. It is necessary as well to promote positive social behavior and the importance of mental health, especially among children.
The theme for this year’s celebration, “A fairer and healthier world,” focuses on an important health issue made worse by the coronavirus crisis – the fact that some people are more privileged than others in terms of enjoying a healthy life or gaining access to health services.
It has been reported that certain groups around the world are struggling to meet their basic needs with meager daily incomes. Some people do not have access to a safe environment, clean water, clean air, food security and basic health services. This lack of basic amenities leads to unnecessary suffering, preventable diseases and premature deaths. Therefore, it is necessary to support the health, living and economic conditions of everyone irrespective of their gender, wealth, education, immigration status, geographic location and other characteristics.
In Kuwait, it is important to consider basic disparities between population subgroups and the residential areas in which they live, in addition to assessing the overall impact of this inequality on the health conditions of these groups and its contribution to the continued rise in infections and fatalities in the country.