KUWAIT CITY, Nov 17: Kuwaiti Minister of Health Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi said Sunday that the establishment of the Authority for Medical Responsibility (AMR) has become a central pillar of good governance in the health sector, strengthening justice, transparency, and confidence in the handling of medical complaints and cases.

Speaking at the opening of the AMR’s second conference, Al-Awadhi said the Authority represents a major institutional step toward safeguarding patients’ rights, supporting healthcare professionals, and bolstering trust among all stakeholders. He told the conference forms part of a broader national vision to raise legal and health awareness and benefit from international experience in managing medical risks and regulating professional relations.

The minister stressed that AMR’s role as an independent body mandated to review complaints and provide technical expert opinion reflects a serious commitment to an integrated healthcare system that protects all parties. This commitment, he said, is enshrined in Law No. 70 of 2020 on the Practice of Medicine and Allied Professions.

Al-Awadhi added that the Authority’s mandate extends beyond investigating medical incidents to improving the quality of services in both the public and private sectors through recommendations and corrective measures that enhance performance and promote a culture of safe professional practice.

He noted that protecting patients and protecting practitioners are complementary, not conflicting, goals, and that fair accountability strengthens professional confidence. The Ministry, he said, will remain a strong supporter and strategic partner of AMR to ensure that its duties are carried out with full neutrality and transparency within a unified state framework. He underscored the conference’s importance as a platform for exchanging expertise and advancing Kuwait’s health system.

AMR Chairman Dr. Salman Khalifa Al-Sabah said the conference aligns with the “New Kuwait 2035” Vision and aims to highlight leading experiences and best global health, legal, and regulatory practices in medical responsibility.

Al-Sabah reviewed AMR’s achievements since the activation of Law No. 70 of 2020, stating that the Authority has evolved from a legislative provision into a fully functional institutional system. He said AMR has improved work mechanisms and raised the efficiency of technical investigation committees, positively influencing the judicial process by shortening litigation periods and enhancing the judiciary’s handling of medical cases through accurate, objective technical reports.

He added that the Authority has “trained and qualified national medical and legal cadres” and promoted a culture of medical responsibility through extensive lectures and workshops targeting legal professionals, practitioners, and medical students.

Al-Sabah announced the launch of the “Kuwait Medical Responsibility Classification” project, the country’s first unified national framework for classifying types of medical responsibility, designed to support committee work and produce accurate statistical data for improving healthcare quality.

On digital transformation, he said AMR has completed the first phase of its comprehensive governance plan, which includes an integrated electronic platform enabling the public to submit and track complaints easily and transparently. He added that the Authority has strengthened its international presence by joining prominent global organizations and participating in international conferences, earning recognition that makes AMR “a pioneering model in the field of medical responsibility.”

The coming phase, he said, will bring “greater opportunities to influence awareness, policy, and professional practice,” further consolidating Kuwait’s regional and global standing.

World Health Organization (WHO) representative Dr. Asad Hafeez praised Kuwait’s establishment of AMR as a “significant step” that laid a modern legal foundation for medical responsibility in the country. He said AMR has quickly developed structured expert review processes, clarified professional standards, and addressed a growing number of cases “consistently and transparently,” positioning Kuwait as “a reference point” in the region.

Hafeez noted Kuwait’s leadership this year at a dedicated side event during the World Health Assembly in Geneva, which highlighted the global importance of medical responsibility and the country’s emerging role in shaping international discussions.

He revealed that the WHO is in talks with AMR authorities to explore the possibility of recognizing Kuwait as a global Center of Excellence in medical responsibility. He expressed optimism that this recognition could be achieved soon, with continued support from Kuwaiti leadership, and reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to providing technical expertise to strengthen regulatory systems.