KUWAIT CITY, March 18, (KUNA): The first meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Committee for e-Health, supervised by Ministry of Health, kicked off here on Monday to discuss e-linking systems for screening programs of expatriates and establishing appropriate work mechanism to implement the smart card and e-linking systems among GCC countries.

The meeting is also to discuss development mechanisms for e-systems of screening expats that would help each GCC country to identify health conditions of expats wishing to enter to any member-country, Dr Qais Al-Duwairi, Assistant Undersecretary of Public Health Affairs at Ministry of Health, said in a press statement.

Al-Duwairi added that entry percentage of unhealthy expats to GCC countries has decreased to five percent via usage of e-linking system, noting that eye and finger prints are to be added to the screening system to prevent some conning by expats in changing their personal data and information.

He also indicated that a discussion to be held on possibility of implementing the smart card system for every citizen and resident in GCC countries, which contain all personal health data for the individual as it would also be an e-medical File to be referred to by the physician in any member-country in order to understand history of patient’s health condition.

In addition, Al-Duwairi pointed out that e-linking has become a reality among information centers in GCC countries within unified data structures that aim to achieve integration among countries, as well as to follow a unified strategy in the information technology field.