CAIRO, Egypt, Oct 22: The Public Authority for Combating Corruption (Nazaha) announced its intention to develop a comprehensive guide for measuring corruption risks in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Combating Corruption, showcasing Kuwait's efforts in this area. This information was shared by Abrar Al-Hammad, the Assistant Secretary-General for the Prevention Sector, during her participation on Monday in a high-level conference titled “Integrity of the Health Sector in the Arab Region: Risks, Solutions, and Roles of Stakeholders.” The event is part of the International Conference on Population, Health, and Development being hosted by Egypt from October 21 to 24.

Al-Hammad highlighted Kuwait's significant progress in fostering cooperation between the public and private sectors and engaging civil society in promoting integrity and combating corruption. She emphasized the importance of integrity in the health sector, which is crucial both regionally and internationally, as it intersects with efforts to enhance public service integrity and improve governance in the government sector.

She noted that the integrity of the health sector is a key component of Kuwait's 2035 development vision, under the slogan "High Quality Health Care." This goal has been prioritized by the state, which has adopted advanced health policies and strengthened its national medical workforce while providing top-notch medical education systems and establishing cooperation with other countries.

Al-Hammad referred to joint efforts among state institutions under Kuwait’s strategy to enhance integrity and combat corruption, including the launch of a national campaign titled "For Kuwait," aimed at raising awareness about integrity in the health sector. She also mentioned the development of mobile applications, such as "Sahel" and "Seha," designed to promote fairness and transparency and facilitate access to health services for citizens and residents, including appointment scheduling and obtaining medical reports.

Additionally, she pointed to measures taken by Kuwait to combat corruption in the health sector, including bolstering the role of internal audit offices and mechanisms for reporting corruption cases to ensure integrity and transparency in managing this vast sector, which has an estimated budget in the billions of dollars.

Al-Hammad underscored the cooperation that emerged between civil society and Nazaha during the COVID-19 pandemic to monitor and evaluate the transparency of government management during the crisis. She expressed appreciation for the efforts demonstrated during the conference sessions and hoped that the recommendations resulting from the discussions would lead to actionable mechanisms and projects that enhance integrity in the health sector throughout the Arab region.

The conference, organized by the United Nations Development Program and the Arab Network for Promoting Integrity and Combating Corruption, addresses corruption issues in the health sector and regional reform efforts, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, while focusing on the challenges facing this vital sector. (KUNA)