Deputy Minister of Health: Nursing Sector Sees Growing Interest from National Cadre

Deputy Minister of Health Sheikh Dr. Salman Khalifa Al-Sabah confirmed that the nursing sector in Kuwait has witnessed growing interest from national cadres, noting that nursing teams are a fundamental partner in the healthcare system, and supporting and qualifying them directly and positively impacts the quality and efficiency of the country’s health system.

This came during a speech delivered by Deputy Minister Al-Sabah on Tuesday, at the launch of a specialized workshop titled “Innovative Strategies for a Sustainable Workforce,” organized by the Nursing Services Department to explore ways to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of the nursing system in the State of Kuwait.

He stated that the nursing profession receives significant and continuous attention from the Ministry, particularly in areas of continuous training, education, and skills development, emphasizing that nurses are the first line of defense and have the most direct and closest relationship with patients.

He added that recruiting nursing cadres from multiple countries with diverse cultures requires continuous training to hone their expertise in optimally interacting with patients and the local community, and to avoid any challenges in communication and understanding.

Deputy Minister Al-Sabah clarified that the Law Regulating the Practice of Medical and Auxiliary Professions, Patients’ Rights, and Health Facilities (Law No. 70 of 2020) granted important benefits to practitioners, aiming to encourage competencies and attract youth to join this vital specialty upon which the medical sector relies.

For her part, Director of the Nursing Services Department at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Iman Al-Awadi, emphasized in her opening speech that nursing staff constitute approximately 32 percent of the Ministry’s total workforce and are a fundamental pillar in ensuring the continuity of comprehensive healthcare delivery in the country.

She said the workshop aims to identify the needs of the nursing workforce, discuss its challenges, and adopt innovative global practices in planning, attracting competencies, and empowering leaders.

She added that the Department is keen to leverage digital transformation applications, artificial intelligence, and evidence-based practices to improve performance and support decision-making, ultimately building a sustainable nursing workforce qualified to the latest international standards.

Dr. Al-Awadi noted that the Department launched the Nursing Innovation Award in 2023, reaffirming its ongoing commitment to supporting creativity in nursing practice. The award aims to highlight outstanding projects and motivate nursing cadres to transform their ideas and expertise into practical solutions that contribute to enhancing the quality of care provided by the Ministry of Health.

The workshop witnessed the honoring of a select group of outstanding nursing cadres, attended by Assistant Deputy Minister for Technical Affairs, Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, in recognition of their efforts and in celebration of their distinctive projects and innovations that contribute to developing the health system and elevating the level of care provided to patients.