GENEVA, May 21 (KUNA) -- Kuwait urged on Saturday members of the World Health Organization (WHO) to work together in countering life-threatening diseases such as Flu pandemics, Cholera, Malaria and Polio.
Head of Public Health Services at the Kuwaiti Health Ministry Dr. Sami Al-Nasser said, in his speech at the 64th annual World Health Assembly, that "it is important to exchange information and aid as well as providing initial diagnoses and vaccines to all countries in order to put any flu pandemics under control before they spread out."
He also stressed on the necessity of promoting international cooperation in detecting Acute Flaccid Paralysis in children and exchanging the latest researches on this disease. Al-Nasser also said that there should be an international monitoring system that would determine areas of severe exposure to Cholera.
He also added that there should be an international collaboration in training health staff on the latest techniques of vaccination and vaccine-manufacturing.
"Kuwait succeeded in protecting the country from the last Flu pandemic through a six-point special program," Al-Nasser noted on his speech before the WHO assembly.
The most effective producer done in Kuwait to overcome the H1N1 virus was reporting infected cases to the Disease Control and Prevention Centers, which made it easier to detect and control this pandemic, he pointed out.
"Providing enough supply for seasonal flu vaccination in addition to vaccinating citizens and residents going to Hajj (Islamic pilgrimage) were also another producer followed to maintain good health in Kuwait," Al-Nasser continued.
He remarked that the state of Kuwait has not registered a single case of Cholera since 1989, except for a few cases among new comers to the county which they were dealt with immediately.
"Kuwait follows a monitoring system that detects Cholera through observing new comers from Cholera-inflected countries and through regular checkups of drinking water as well as sea water to ensure they are Cholera-free," he clarified.
Meanwhile, the last polio case registered in the country was in 1985, Al-Nasser said, adding that "ever since then, all newborns are vaccinated." In conclusion, he explained that Kuwaitis Health authorities make sure to put its staff under periodic training programs to elevate their competency and update their knowledge on the latest researches on these terminal diseases. (end) ta.nfm KUNA 211210 May 11NNNN