Kuwait Health Minister: Early childhood care at the core of health and developmental priorities
Kuwait City, Oct 6 (KUNA) -- Kuwait’s Minister of Health, Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadi, affirmed that early childhood care is “at the core of our health and development priorities.” He added that it is our responsibility to ensure every child has a supportive opportunity for growth and learning, and to support their families with the knowledge and services they need, as they are the primary partners in their care.
This statement was made by Minister Al-Awadi during a speech at the launch ceremony of the “National Early Childhood Initiative” on Tuesday. The initiative is a collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Kuwait National Bank (KNB), aiming to establish an organized pathway for monitoring child development and providing integrated counseling and health support to families.
He stated that the Ministry’s vision for child health begins with attention to the fetus before and during pregnancy, and after birth, including health counseling, pre-marital examinations, and accompanying guidance and genetic evaluation when necessary. This approach seeks to create conditions for healthier pregnancies and reduce risks that could affect the mother and child, through the care of newborns, vaccinations, and follow-up on growth and development.
Minister Al-Awadi noted that Kuwait has made progress in child health. According to the country’s file in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index published by the UN Statistics Division, the under-five mortality rate decreased from 12.7 per 1,000 live births in 2000 to 8.8 per 1,000 in 2023. “This progress calls on us to continue working to protect children’s lives, enhance their growth, learning, and quality of life,” he said.
He explained that the initiative adds an organized pathway to the care system for monitoring child development and supporting families. It includes two integrated programs: the “National Developmental Screening Program” and the “Bad’aa Platform.”
The “National Program” relies on a standardized tool, the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), to monitor aspects of child development, including communication, motor skills, problem-solving, and personal and social interaction. This helps identify indicators that may require further assessment.
The Minister highlighted that the “Bad’aa Platform” provides parents and caregivers with practical knowledge to help them understand child development stages and enhance skills through play, interaction, and daily life activities.
He pointed out that joint teams from the Ministry of Health and KNB contributed to preparing the initiative, establishing referral pathways, preparing knowledge resources, and training staff. Preparations included training 240 physicians and equipping 95 health centers in preparation for implementation according to a phased plan with clear objectives and milestones.
Minister Al-Awadi emphasized that well-child clinics in primary healthcare centers play a pivotal role due to their proximity to families and the regular follow-up and early counseling they provide. Their services integrate with pediatric departments and specialized centers to provide assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation according to each child’s needs.
For his part, Essam Al-Saqqa, Vice Chairman and CEO of Kuwait National Bank Group, stated in a similar speech that the launch of the National Early Childhood Initiative embodies a firm belief that building a more prosperous future for Kuwait begins with investing in future generations and caring for them during their early years, which are the most critical and influential stages for shaping their cognitive and social abilities and their future.
Al-Saqqa said the initiative’s goal is to provide the necessary tools and support to help every child reach their full potential through two main pillars: the “National Developmental Screening Program” in partnership with the Ministry of Health, and the “Bad’aa Early Child Development Platform,” which will provide families with a reliable source of information, guidance, and support.
He added that KNB’s contribution to this initiative, whose outlines began more than two years ago, stems from a national commitment and sustainable social responsibility. It goes beyond financial support to serve as a model of role integration and joint efforts between the banking sector and state institutions to empower families and provide an integrated health and developmental environment that nurtures children in their early stages.
Al-Saqqa reaffirmed KNB’s firm commitment to continuing support for national projects and initiatives with sustainable developmental impact, and to strengthening the constructive strategic partnership between the public and private sectors. This aims to improve the quality of life for community members and drive toward a healthier and more prosperous future for Kuwaiti children and their families.
For her part, Dr. Wafaa Al-Attiyah, Chairman of the Pediatric and Neonatal Departments Committee, stated in a similar speech that the initiative represents a qualitative leap in the care of Kuwaiti children by identifying their needs early and providing timely support. The first five years are the stage during which the foundations of communication, movement, learning, and interaction with others are built.
Dr. Al-Attiyah noted that the joint team between the Ministry of Health and KNB began its work in May 2026 and, within three months, established unified policies and referral pathways to regulate procedures following developmental screening and the precise referral of cases to appropriate specialties.
She explained that “well-child clinics” were activated during evening hours in 12 health centers starting from the current week, alongside the training of 240 primary care physicians and the licensing of the developmental screening questionnaire in 95 centers.
She added that participation in the “Mother and Child” exhibition last month provided an opportunity to present the screening and introduce families to well-child clinic services. During the event, developmental screening was conducted for 170 children, and 30 cases (equivalent to 18 percent) were referred to pediatricians in hospitals for continued follow-up and assessment.
She mentioned that the next phase of the initiative will include enabling appointments for evening well-child clinics through the unified government electronic services application “Sahl,” to facilitate family access to services and electronically integrate screening results into patient files within the primary healthcare system. It will also involve training pediatricians in hospitals on the ASQ-3 questionnaire.
For her part, Dr. Nahed Al-Attiyah, Consultant in Developmental Pediatrics, emphasized the importance of developmental screening for children in detecting any potential delays in skill acquisition early, which contributes to timely intervention and improving the child’s developmental trajectory and quality of life, as well as that of their family.
Dr. Al-Attiyah added that well-child clinics play a crucial role that extends beyond monitoring weight and height to include tracking developmental skills and raising family awareness about the stages their children are going through and ways to support their growth and development through daily activities.
(End) M.N.M / H.M.D / A.A.H
