KUWAIT CITY, April 22: Farwaniya Governor Sheikh Athbi Nasser Al-Athbi Al-Sabah announced on Tuesday that the governorate aims to complete the procedures for accrediting West Abdullah Al-Mubarak as a "healthy city," making it part of Kuwait's growing network of health-focused urban areas.

"We have signed the registration for the city's inclusion in the list of recognized healthy cities, making it the third such city in Farwaniya Governorate," Sheikh Athbi Al-Sabah said during a ceremony marking West Abdullah Al-Mubarak’s registration into the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Healthy Cities Network.

The governor expressed his hope to see more healthy cities established within the governorate, noting that this would contribute to significant progress in the implementation of healthy city initiatives across the country and provide direct benefits to local residents.

He extended his gratitude to Dr. Amal Al-Yahya, Head of the Healthy Cities Office at the Ministry of Health, along with the office’s staff, Faisal Al-Bidan, Head of the Coordination Committee for West Abdullah Al-Mubarak City, and the rest of the committee and support team for their contributions in aligning the city with WHO healthy city standards.

Speaking to KUNA at the event, Dr. Amal Al-Yahya explained that the healthy cities movement involves several key stages. Any city wishing to be registered must first form a coordinating committee, which must be approved by the governor of the area. In addition, a dedicated "Healthy City Office" must be established.

Once these criteria are met, a registration form is submitted to the WHO Regional Healthy Cities Network. This form provides an overview of the city, including its demographics and service infrastructure. After review and approval by Kuwait’s Healthy Cities Office, the form is then forwarded to the WHO, officially designating the city as a "candidate" for accreditation.

Accreditation requires the city to meet WHO standards. At this stage, the Healthy Cities Office supports the city through training, empowerment, and logistical assistance. The evaluation process begins with a self-assessment, followed by the submission of a "city profile" to the WHO. A delegation from the organization then conducts field visits for the final evaluation.

If the city meets at least 80% of the required standards, it receives WHO accreditation as a "healthy city" for a period of three years.

It is worth noting that Kuwait’s Healthy Cities Office was established ten years ago to oversee the registration and accreditation of healthy cities across the country. To date, Kuwait has 21 registered healthy cities, 10 of which are accredited. One of them — Yarmouk — has received a second accreditation. Additionally, Sabah Al-Salem University City has been accredited as a health city, along with four health-promoting commercial complexes.