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

Kuwait City, Oct 12 (KUNA) -- Health Minister Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadi launched today, Monday, World Sight Day at Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital, aiming to raise public awareness about the importance of prevention through early screening.

In this context, Hospital Director Dr. Nada Al-Hassan told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that the hospital is committed to keeping pace with and organizing screening and early detection programs for 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-Fudairy. The initiative aimed 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 throughout the current week, including an early detection event for breast cancer on Wednesday and an event for World Rheumatism Day on Thursday, in addition to other activities focused on psoriasis.

Dr. Al-Hassan emphasized that the role of the health system extends beyond providing treatment within clinics; it is also based on preventive initiatives and encouraging periodic screenings to prevent disease progression.

For his part, Dr. Ahmed Al-Fudairy, Head of the Ophthalmology Department at the hospital and Chairman of the Ophthalmology Departments 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. He noted that these campaigns aim to detect vision problems early through advanced examinations, including visual acuity testing and intraocular pressure measurement to detect glaucoma, which often presents no obvious symptoms in its early stages.

Dr. Al-Fudairy highlighted the importance of regular check-ups, especially for those over the age of 40. He added that the Ministry has provided modern devices for retinal imaging and fundus examination without the need for dilating drops, which previously caused 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 wait times. He also announced an upcoming awareness event in November focusing on keratoconus and its treatment methods. (End) M.N.M. / T.A.B.