Kuwait’s Ministry of Health (MoH), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), launched a significant workshop on February 17, 2025. The workshop focused on “The Development of a National Health Information Governance and Management Framework.” The event, which took place at the Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization, brought together key stakeholders from the public, private, and civil sectors. Additionally, international health experts attended to explore strategies for enhancing the country’s healthcare system.
The workshop, which runs through February 19, 2025, aims to establish strategies for the governance and management of health data in Kuwait. The importance of data in improving healthcare systems was a key theme. It supports evidence-based policy decisions and safeguards patient privacy. Achieving universal health coverage was also emphasized. Key topics of discussion are data quality, privacy protection, interoperability, and building trust in the management of health data.
Prominent WHO representatives, including Dr. Assad Hafeez, WHO Representative to Kuwait, Dr. Henry Doctor, WHO EMRO Coordinator for Information Systems for Health, and Dr. Salmi Al Salmi, Consultant from Oman College of Health Sciences, will lead sessions. They will cover global best practices and actionable frameworks for health data governance. Alongside them, Dr. Vikas Dwivedi from UNICEF and other national stakeholders will join the conversation. They will discuss their role in ensuring the ethical and patient-centered governance of health data. Key Kuwaiti institutions, such as the Ministry of Health, Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA), and the Ministry of Justice, are actively involved. They are contributing to the framework’s development.
During the launch, Dr. Assad Hafeez highlighted the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach to successfully implement the health data governance framework. He also reassured Kuwait that WHO is fully committed to supporting the country in building an inclusive and effective health data ecosystem. Dr. Fatima Al-Asoomi, Director of the National Center for Health Information, expressed gratitude for the valuable contributions of all participants. She reaffirmed the Center’s ongoing commitment to collaborating with relevant stakeholders for the framework’s effective implementation.
The workshop will include various collaborative activities aimed at identifying gaps in current policies, prioritizing health data governance, and addressing legal and ethical considerations. Participants will also work to design a comprehensive policy framework to guide the future management of health data in Kuwait. An action plan will be created to steer the implementation of the national health data governance framework. This framework is poised to play a pivotal role in improving healthcare services in the country. It also aims to advance Kuwait’s progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
