KUWAIT CITY, Dec 10: The Ministry of Health intends to establish an independent public health authority soon, reports Al-Qabas daily quoting Assistant Undersecretary for Planning and Quality Control Affairs Dr Waleed Al-Falah.

Al-Falah explained the authority will play a major role in overseeing the implementation of reforms to improve the health services in the country. “Our goal is to develop the health care system on par with the international standard for promoting health and to focus on developing primary health care,” he added.
Meanwhile, Al-Anba daily has quoted a report on the spread of osteoporosis in Gulf nations saying that 40 percent of Kuwaitis have osteoporosis, while in Saudi Arabia, 32.2 percent of the men and 44.5 percent of the women suffer from the disease. 

Informed sources from the Executive Bureau of the Health Ministers Council in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have called on the member nations to intensify their efforts in combating osteoporosis.
Sources said the GCC countries should consider the disease a major health crisis. The bureau has requested the establishment of national centers which will be tasked to improve the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis, in addition to promoting the importance of research in combating the disease, sources disclosed.

In the meantime, the Gulf Autism Association board recently held its 13th meeting with distinguish participation from member states.

In a press statement following the meeting, the Union Board Chairwoman Samira Al-Saad said the conferees reviewed the association’s challenges and achievements and discussed future action plans.
Al-Saad added that meeting focused on bolstering cooperation among autism centers and organizations in the six Arab Gulf states.

The participants also discussed helping media outlets with information and researches to raise public awareness about autism.

Autism reportedly constitutes 11 percent of global diseases and it is likely to reach 14.7 percent by the year 2020.

Autism is a mysterious condition, diagnosed not by any physical criteria but by a patient’s behavior. It impairs the ability to communicate and is associated with self-stimulating or injurious behavior, which is attributed to sensitivities that make particular sounds, sights and textures unbearable.