Biomed Middle East

New H1N1 Wave in January: Al-Sayer Kuwaiti Health Minister

KUWAIT: The third wave of the A H1N1 (swine flu) virus is expected to hit Kuwait next month, according to health minister Dr. Helal Al-Sayer. The next phase of the disease threatens to cause an increase in infection levels, the minister said, emphasizing that the Ministry of Health (MoH) is fully prepared to face the associated risks and calling on citizens and residents to commit themselves to being vaccinated against the disease.

On a related issue, a senior MoH official announced that 600,000 batches of the vaccine are set to arrive in Kuwait within the next few days. Dr. Ibrahim Al-Abdulhadi the deputy health minister, also indicated that over one million batches of the vaccine will arrive in the country in February 2010.

Echoing the minister’s words, Dr. Abdulhadi said that the MoH is well prepared for the third wave of the disease, which is expected to be less intense than earlier ones.

Since the swine flu virus was first detected in Kuwait in April of this year, MoH records show that a total of 8,446 people have been infected with the virus, the ministry with the vast majority making a quick and full recovery. While 26 people died as a result of the disease in Kuwait, all of these had pre-existing health complications, reported Al-Watan.

On a separate issue, the minister also recently issued an official decree appointing the General Manager of Adan Hospital to the post of Director of the Ahmadi Health Zone.

The MoH has also announced the creation of a permanent committee to prepare and implement a comprehensive national program to encourage the early detection of breast cancer, which is to be headed by the ministry’s Deputy Assistant for Supportive Medicine Affairs, Dr. Qais Al-Duwairi

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