Minister of Health Launches World Sight Day at Jabir Al-Ahmad Hospital

Health Minister Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadi inaugurated today, Monday, events marking World Sight Day at Jabir Al-Ahmad Hospital, aiming to raise public awareness about the importance of prevention through early screening.

Speaking to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on the occasion, Hospital Director Dr. Nada Al-Hassan emphasized the hospital’s commitment to keeping pace with and organizing screening programs for early detection of the most common diseases among citizens, based on the principle that prevention is better than cure and to alleviate the treatment burden and health complications.

Dr. Al-Hassan explained that, in observance of World Sight Day, the hospital organized this comprehensive awareness and specialized event, which included eye vision, intraocular pressure, and fundus examinations supervised by specialized medical staff from the Ophthalmology Department under the leadership of Dr. Ahmed Al-Fudairi, aiming to highlight eye health and the importance of early detection of vision problems.

She noted that the hospital is hosting a schedule full of awareness and educational activities during the current week, including an early detection event for breast cancer on Wednesday, alongside an event for World Rheumatism Day on Thursday, as well as other activities focusing on psoriasis.

Dr. Al-Hassan stressed that the role of the health system is not limited to providing treatment within clinics, but is also based on preventive initiatives and encouraging regular screenings to prevent the progression of diseases.

For his part, Dr. Ahmed Al-Fudairi, Head of the Ophthalmology Medicine and Surgery Department at the hospital and Chairman of the Ophthalmology Departments Council at the Ministry of Health, told KUNA in a similar statement that the Ministry of Health is keen on enhancing integrated healthcare and social responsibility by organizing campaigns for the early detection of the most common eye diseases in the country.

He clarified that treatment services are now available and distributed across various governorates of Kuwait through most primary healthcare centers and general hospitals, noting that these campaigns aim to detect vision problems early through advanced examinations that include measuring visual acuity and checking intraocular pressure to detect glaucoma, which does not present obvious symptoms in its early stages.

Dr. Al-Fudairi highlighted the importance of regular examinations, especially for those over the age of 40, and noted that the Ministry has provided modern devices for retinal imaging and fundus examination without the need for dilation drops, which used to cause discomfort to patients. He explained that early detection of retinopathy helps limit its complications.

He revealed a project to electronically link examination cameras in health centers to speed up the delivery of results to ophthalmologists and reduce referral and appointment waiting times, announcing an upcoming awareness event in November focusing on keratoconus and its treatment methods.