Kuwait: The transformation of the Shaab area into an integrated healthy city was the focal point of a recent meeting between Hawally Governor Ali Al-Asfar and a World Health Organization (WHO) delegation. During the meeting, a presentation outlined the strategic goals and necessary conditions to turn Shaab into a model of health and sustainability, paving the way for similar initiatives across the governorate.

Governor Al-Asfar stressed the importance of improving environmental, social, and infrastructural factors that impact public health. He emphasized the need to prioritize these aspects to ensure the success of the Healthy Cities initiative. Dr Samar Al-Feqi, leading the WHO delegation, provided valuable insights into the requirements for transforming areas into certified healthy cities.

Al-Asfar also expressed appreciation for the support received from the Ministry of Health and local volunteers, underscoring the ongoing study aimed at establishing Shaab as a pioneering healthy city.

This initiative is part of Kuwait’s broader efforts to enhance public health. Recently, the World Health Organization officially designated Sabah Al-Salem University City as a “healthy city,” marking it as the first university in Kuwait to receive such recognition. In addition to Sabah Al-Salem, Dasmah and Al-Oyoun have also been recognized, bringing the total number of cities in Kuwait officially recognized by the WHO’s Regional Healthy Cities Network to seven.

Minister of Health Dr Ahmad Al-Awadhi, during a ceremony celebrating the achievement, highlighted Kuwait’s goal to expand the number of healthy cities to ten by the end of 2024. Although this target was not met, with Qortuba, Al-Daiya, and Shaab still in progress, efforts to improve public health continue, demonstrating Kuwait’s commitment to meeting global health standards.

The WHO’s Healthy Cities initiative encourages collaboration between governments and civil society to improve health outcomes and quality of life. Dr Al-Feqi noted that Kuwait’s services across various sectors have helped meet the criteria for healthy city evaluations, acknowledging the country’s achievements in overcoming challenges to meet WHO standards.