KUWAIT CITY, Jan 19: Kuwaiti Health Minister Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi inaugurated the 15th Arab Conference on Transfusion Medicine on Sunday, and honored the winners of the Arab Award for Blood Transfusion Services, presented by the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States.

The awardees were Dr. Salama Hamida, Director General of the National Blood Transfusion Center in Tunisia, and Dr. Arwa bint Zakaria, Senior Consultant Hematologist at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in Oman, in recognition of their contributions to advancing blood transfusion services.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Al-Awadhi said Kuwait’s hosting of the conference for the third time reflects confidence in the country’s organizational and scientific capabilities, as well as its commitment to supporting specialized conferences, developing national expertise, and keeping pace with global advances in transfusion medicine, cell therapy, and patient blood management.

He noted that the Ministry of Health recently restructured its services, renaming the Blood Transfusion Services Department as the Central Department of Blood and Cell Therapy to ensure compliance with international quality and accreditation standards across all stages of the blood system, from donors to patients, including blood centers, branches, and hospitals.

Al-Awadhi said the system collected around 96,000 units of blood and platelets this year, a 2% increase over the previous year, reflecting improved operational performance and the importance of promoting voluntary blood donation. He added that the department currently operates three main centers and six branches across Kuwait, with plans to open a fourth.

Ms. Maysaa Hadmi, Director of the Health and Humanitarian Aid Department and Head of the Technical Secretariat of the Council of Arab Health Ministers, said blood transfusion services are a core pillar of healthcare, critical for saving lives and supporting treatments, particularly in emergencies. She highlighted that the Arab Authority for Blood Transfusion Services, established in 1979, serves as an example of joint Arab action, coordinating expertise, building capacity, and harmonizing standards across member states.

Dr. Aisha Al-Malki, President of the Arab Authority for Blood Transfusion Services, said blood transfusion has become more than a support service, forming a fundamental pillar of healthcare linked to patient safety, risk management, emergency response, and resource sustainability. She described the conference as a platform for exchanging experiences, reviewing policies, and learning about advances in transfusion medicine, helping improve performance efficiency and service quality across the region.

Dr. Reem Al-Radwan, Director of the Central Department of Blood and Cellular Therapy at the Ministry of Health and Chair of the Conference, said the three-day event features over 50 speakers from Arab and international countries, including 19 workshops, 12 scientific sessions, and 80 papers on blood transfusion and cellular therapy. She added that the broad participation underscores the conference’s role as a leading scientific platform for knowledge exchange, skill development, and regional and international cooperation.

The conference program includes specialized sessions covering modern blood transfusion and cell therapy techniques aimed at improving healthcare quality, patient safety, and efficiency among medical personnel across the Arab region.