Deputy Minister of Health: Growing interest among national cadres in the nursing sector

- The nursing profession receives significant and continuous attention from the Ministry, particularly in the areas of training and skills development.

- Al-Awadi: Nursing staff constitute 32 percent of the Ministry’s workforce.

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

In a speech delivered today 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 Kuwait, Deputy Minister Al-Sabah stated that the nursing profession receives significant and continuous attention from the Ministry, particularly in the fields of continuous training, education, and skills development. He emphasized 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 communication and understanding challenges.

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, affirmed 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 provision in the country.

She stated that the workshop aims to identify the needs of the nursing workforce, discuss its challenges, adopt innovative global practices in planning and attracting competencies, as well as 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.

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 distinguished nursing cadres, attended by Assistant Deputy Minister for Technical Affairs, Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, in appreciation of their efforts and to celebrate their distinctive projects and innovations that contribute to developing the health system and elevating the level of care provided to patients.