The Minister of Health, Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadi, said that pharmacists, through their competencies, are considered key actors in the treatment chain and play a fundamental and important role in the health system.

In his speech during a Ramadan Ghabka held by the Kuwait Pharmacists Association today, Tuesday, the Minister of Health stressed the importance of the role played by workers in the pharmacy sector, indicating that there are ministerial committees dedicated to this sector, and this is the biggest evidence of its importance.

He called on workers in this field, whether in the ministry or in the private sector, to submit proposals that might contribute to the issuance of decisions and laws that enhance integration between the government and private sectors.

He appreciated the distinguished efforts of pharmacists in hospitals, specialized centers, primary care and in central departments, noting the challenges they face in checking medicines and exchanges and many of the tasks they perform.

In his turn, Director of the Medical Warehouses Department at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Adel Al-Salem, said that the ministry is concerned with drug pricing and preserving that prices are not tampered with, pointing out that prices are reviewed periodically within specific controls, while making sure to reduce prices for many medicines.

Al-Salem pointed out that the prices in Kuwait are close to those in the Gulf countries, and that some medicines in Kuwait may be less expensive than neighboring countries, indicating that the Ministry is always keen to provide various types of medicines, and that the issue of shortage of some types is not limited to Kuwait only, but is a global issue. It has many reasons, including the unavailability of raw materials, the increase in prices and means of transportation.

He pointed out that the ministry is working continuously to provide medicines, but there are issues that may be out of control.

On a related note, Dr. Al-Salem said that the law of practicing the profession of pharmacy has reached the final draft stage and will be submitted during the next few days to the Undersecretary of the Ministry to take the necessary measures.

For his part, the president of the association, Dr. Abdullah Al-Enezi, said that the association continues its giving march full of achievements and projects aimed at strengthening the status of the profession of pharmacy and pharmacists, while continuing the hard and sincere work to raise the level of distinguished pharmaceutical performance that is usual within the developed health system.

He pointed out that there are boundless aspirations to achieve more hopes that every pharmacist aspires to professionally and in life, “while preserving the gains achieved by our brothers who succeeded in carrying the secretariat of managing this national edifice since its inception.”

He expressed his pride and appreciation for the existing positive cooperation and the permanent understanding of the Ministry of Health, headed by the Minister, the Undersecretary and the Assistant Undersecretaries, stressing the keenness to advance this cooperation in order to achieve benefit in the pharmaceutical services of Kuwait and its people and residents to broader horizons.