"American Hospital' documents development of healthcare in Kuwait - Info. Min.

KUWAIT, Aug 26 (KUNA) -- Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Homoud Al-Sabah said Tuesday night the documentary 'Al-Mostashfa Al-Amricani' (The American Hospital) narrates a story of the development of healthcare in Kuwait over the last century.
The documentary sheds light on how international relation can help bring peoples of different countries close to each other, he said following the screening of the documentary at the Amricani Cultural Centre. Sheikh Salman noted that the documentary underscores the humanitarian role of the US mission in Kuwait in cementing the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
"The humanitarian message of the Americani Cultural Centre is in keeping with Kuwait's policy of standing by the people in difficulty around the globe which made the United Nations name His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as "Humanitarian Leader" and Kuwait as "Humanitarian Center," he pointed out.
"The documentary conveys to the Kuwaiti young generation values and lessons about the difficulties undergone by their ancestors during the different stages of history and the struggle for protecting the safety of the homeland," the minister added.
On his part, the filmmaker Jassem Al-Gharib said: "We meant to deliver a message about the values of tolerance, coexistence and communion which featured the Kuwaiti society a century ago." "The Kuwaiti society maintained commitment to their principles despite the missionary efforts of the early US missions," he said, noting that the documentary shed light on how the missionary role of the mission turned into a humanitarian one.
"The documentary is a fruit of good teamwork by representatives of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) and the Arab Media Center who were able to overcome great difficulties such as scarcity of technical materials and period costumes," Al-Gharib went on.
He added that the team got the costumes from some international auctions and the relevant information from the Center for Research and Studies on Kuwait.
Founded in 1914, the American Hospital played a great role in treating those wounded in Al-Jahra and Al-Req'i battles and combating communicable diseases; it was transferred to the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health as a part of the country's history. (end) has.hb.gb