KHI and Health Care Reform Advisory Group tackle health sector reform

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | November 23, 2010

Media contact | info@q8health.org

Kuwait City, Kuwait - In its effort to support the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Assembly Health Committee in their upcoming plans to reform the health sector, the KHI and other renowned health activists in Kuwait have formed the non-profit Health Care Reform Advisory Group (HCRAG) to design and promote a comprehensive, evidence-based reform agenda.

The proposals put forth by governmental officials and representatives of the Health Committee for a vote at the National Assembly include a bill on health insurance for Kuwaiti nationals and a bill to establish a "Health Authority" that will serve as regulator of health services.

Earlier in the year, HCRAG members have reviewed these bills, which have been drafted with the support of paid consultants, including Kuwait-based The Advisory Group, a for-profit health care consultancy. The HCRAG argues that despite exhibiting an intention to improve health services, it found major conceptual and technical flaws that will put at risk the future of health care in Kuwait. Specifically, a proposal stemming from the Health Committee advocates for a private, for-profit health insurance scheme. "There currently exists no evidence to support the use of for-profit insurances to finance a nation's health care in a fair and cost-effective manner. Quite the contrary, such mechanisms have time and again resulted in poor health outcomes, in inequalities in health care access and delivery, and in an inability to contain rising health care costs." says the Chairman of the KHI and public health specialist Dr. Nadeem Al-Duaij. "We believe in the need for health insurance to protect the individual from catastrophic health expenditures but this must be done through the adoption of a non-profit social health insurance or similar scheme that is supported by current health policy evidence."

Representatives of HCRAG argue that for reform to be significant and sustainable, it must be comprehensive and it must translate into an equitable distribution of services among all residents of a given nation while improving three major performance measures, namely, health status, financial risk protection, and customer satisfaction. The group has finalized and submitted a report, endorsed by leading international experts, that offers evidence-based recommendations on broad health reform strategies targeting multiple dimensions of the health system and emphasizing the need for a stronger primary and preventive care approach. "Too much attention has been paid to costly curative interventions, exemplified by the building of more hospitals and growing investments in technology, when simple prevention and an effective primary care system will yield far greater benefits for the entire population in the long-run."

Dr. Al-Duaij concludes by stating "the recommendations we have submitted to Kuwait's policy-makers represent the best way to move our ailing health system forward and to address the growing problem of chronic diseases, patient dissatisfaction, and the lack of incentive among our providers."

About Kuwait Health Initiative - KHI is a leading non-profit, non-partisan, and independent think tank based in Kuwait that promotes equitable health policy strategies through research, education, practice development, and strategic partnerships in the field of public health.

For more information, please visit www.q8health.org

About Health Care Reform Advisory Group - HCRAG is a Kuwait-based non-profit group dedicated to providing evidence-based, impartial, and equitable recommendations for proper health sector reform in Kuwait.

Chairman represents MENA CSO at World Bank meeting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT | info@q8health.org

Kuwait City, Kuwait - KHI Chairman Nadeem Al-Duaij was invited by the World Bank to represent the Middle East & North Africa civil society organizations (CSO) at a recent roundtable discussion in Nairobi, Kenya. As part of the Bank's plans to formalize the relationship between its Health, Nutrition, and Population (HNP) division and the broad CSO community, it convened a series of roundtable discussions with representative of Northern and Southern CSOs and established a roadmap to create a Bank-CSO Consultative Group to better assess regional and local needs.

On October 16, 2010, a meeting was held at the Nairobi Intercontinental Hotel where the Bank hosted representatives of 31 Southern CSOs. The meeting was attended, among others, by Christian Baeza, Director of HNP, and Tamar Manuelyan Atinc, World Bank Vice-President. Through this effort, the Bank is joining other major multilateral agencies in their efforts to partner with local organizations to strengthen ongoing and future programs, improve the monitoring and evaluation of these initiatives, and better understand the local environment and its needs.

"I am confident that influential agencies like the Bank will better achieve their goal of reducing poverty, improving health status, and promoting equity by strengthening their relationship with and supporting the work of the civil society" said Al-Duaij. "It is fundamental to understand the local sociocultural traits, needs, and politics and this can only be done through partnerships with groups like the KHI".

For more information on this, please visit the Bank-CSO Consultative Group site.

KHI unveils a new visual identity

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CONTACT | info@q8health.org

Cambridge, Massachusetts - In an effort to position itself as a leading public health policy authority in the GCC region, the KHI Board of Directors recently contracted leading Dutch graphic design firm Atrissi Design to revisit the organization's visual identity. A new logo, using both English and Arabic text, has been designed to better highlight the all-encompassing nature of the organization.

The new identity will be used for various communication purposes and as emblem of the thriving public health institution.

Amna Shaghouli named Board Member and Treasurer

FOR RELEASE | February 7, 2010

CONTACT | info@q8health.org

Kuwait City, Kuwait - Amna Shaghouli, a leading Kuwaiti endocrinologist specialized in the management of diabetes, joins the KHI Board of Directors as Treasurer. Following a vote by the Board, the KHI leadership announces its decision to promote Amna, a KHI member, to the role of Board Member and Treasurer. Amna's efforts were instrumental in establishing a development plan for the organization and in the implementation of various activities in collaboration with KHI partners. As Treasurer, she will be in charge of financial planning for the organization and developing a strategic plan to engage in fund-raising effort.

Amna is a graduate of the Leeds University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and endocrinology at the University of Toronto in Canada. She bases her clinical practice at the Amiri Hospital Department of Medicine in Kuwait.

KHI members participate in KU FOM Careers Day

FOR RELEASE | December 31, 2009

CONTACT | info@q8health.org

Kuwait City, Kuwait - Members of the KHI recently participated in the Careers Day event co-organized by the Kuwait Medical Society UK/Ireland and the Kuwait University Medical Students Association. This event took place on December 29 and 30 at the Kuwait University Faculty of Medicine in Jabriya, Kuwait City. The Careers Day served as an informational session and discussion panel on post-graduate training programs in the United States, Canada and Europe to support medical students and recent graduates seeking overseas training opportunities.

Members Manal Bouhaimed, Mohammad Al-Seaidan and Raed Hashem discussed their specialties, namely ophthalmology, public heath, and emergency medicine.

For more information on the Careers Day, please visit KMS.