KUWAIT CITY, Oct 20: The 7th Medical Laboratory Conference, organized by the Medical Laboratory Departments Council and the Medical Laboratory Services Department at the Ministry of Health under the theme “Developments in Diagnostic Hematology and Precision Medicine (Personalized Medicine)... Future Trends in Diagnostic Laboratories”, kicked off on Sunday morning. In his opening statement, Minister of Health Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi highlighted that the conference is taking place at a time when the world is witnessing a radical transformation in diagnostic and healthcare concepts. He emphasized the ministry’s commitment to developing the medical laboratory system and strengthening its technical and human resources, describing it as the beating heart of modern medical work.

Dr. Al-Awadhi stressed the ministry’s focus on promoting personalized medicine and precise diagnosis by investing in modern technology and benefiting from artificial intelligence to support medical decision-making. He affirmed that innovation in laboratory medicine is at the heart of the shift toward an integrated digital health system that relies on accuracy and speed in diagnosis. Dr. Al-Awadhi added that Kuwait, supported by the efforts of its qualified national workforce, is making steady progress toward realizing its vision of improving the quality of health services and implementing international standards in diagnostic and laboratory performance. Meanwhile, Dr. Ibtisam Al-Jumaa, Chair of the Medical Laboratory Departments Council, highlighted that the conference serves as a strategic platform to strengthen the integration between scientific research and clinical practice, while underscoring the vital role of medical laboratories in the future healthcare system.

She explained that the conference includes eight specialized sessions and training workshops, with participation from 13 international lecturers representing the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Egypt, Tunisia, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom, reflecting the event’s international scope and diverse expertise. Furthermore, Dr. Al-Jumaa explained that hematology laboratories in Kuwait are undergoing a major improvement in performance and quality, with 67 specialized physicians, including 13 consultants.

Since the beginning of 2025, the laboratories have completed more than 7.6 million tests on over 3.1 million samples in public hospitals and specialized health centers, in addition to 712,000 tests conducted in primary healthcare centers. These achievements result from adopting advanced technical systems that have reduced human error to its lowest levels, with the percentage of rejected samples reaching only 0.38 percent in 2025.

Advanced tests have been introduced, including quantitative sickle cell anemia testing, chromogenic factor VIII, and precise genetic testing. The turnaround time for laboratory test results has improved significantly, with the percentage of tests taking more than 60 minutes dropping from 15 percent to nine percent during the first half of 2025. This improvement directly enhances diagnostic accuracy and speeds up medical decision-making. Dr. Al-Jumaa emphasized that these successes are the result of strong support from the Ministry of Health and its leadership, noting that Kuwait has become a model of innovation and quality in medical laboratories.

By Marwa Al-Bahrawi Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff