Health Minister: NBK Hospital's expansion model of public-private cooperation

KUWAIT, Nov 10 (KUNA) -- Minister of Health Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi affirmed Monday that the third expansion of the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) Specialized Hospital for Children stands as a distinguished model of cooperation between the public and private sectors.
In a statement on the sidelines of the foundation- stone-laying ceremony at Sabah Medical Area, Dr. Al-Awadhi said the new expansion meets the latest international standards.
It includes five floors with 66 beds in intensive care units, private rooms, emergency wards, and laboratories.
The project observes infection-control measures and provides a child-friendly environment that supports both psychological and health needs, he noted.
NBK Group Chief Executive Officer Issam Al-Sager said cooperation between the Bank and the Ministry of Health in specialized medical projects began in 1996 with the establishment of the first building for pediatric hematology and oncology, followed by a second facility for stem-cell therapy.
Al-Sager added that the hospital's design received an international award from the University of Michigan for its environmental and psychological suitability for children.
Head of the pediatric hematology, oncology and stem cell transplant department at NBK Hospital Dr. Sondos Al-Shereedah said more than 100 new pediatric cancer cases are diagnosed annually, bringing total follow-up cases to 160-180 each year.
She said the department faces medical and humanitarian challenges in supporting patients and their families.
Dr. Al-Shereedah added that the hospital is regionally advanced in stem-cell transplants, having conducted around 80 procedures so far with ten cases under treatment, achieving a 97-percent success rate, one of the highest in the region.
She noted that the hospital is registered as an accredited international center with a global reference number for pediatric hematology and oncology treatment. (end) kmj.aai