KUWAIT: Minister of Health Dr Ahmad Al-Awadhi issued a ministerial decision Tuesday approving and pricing 392 new drugs, pharmaceutical products and nutritional supplements, selected from 1,580 reviewed over the past year, ensuring they are the cheapest in the Gulf region. In a press statement, the Ministry of Health said the move is part of an integrated strategic approach to balance patient’s interests with the sustainability of the pharmaceutical market.

The strategy involves periodic price list reviews and the adoption of high-quality, effective pharmaceutical alternatives to safeguard public health and maintain the efficiency of healthcare services. The new list includes modern drugs representing a qualitative leap across multiple therapeutic areas, addressing both daily and chronic patient needs. Approved treatments cover obesity, blood pressure, allergies, eye pressure, tumors and cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, migraines, influenza, as well as Mounjaro injections with updated packaging.

The decision also canceled several older drugs that have been replaced with more effective and cost-efficient alternatives. The new pricing system is based on Gulf and international reference prices and is subject to regular review by specialized technical committees monitoring global market developments to maintain price stability. The Ministry stressed that this approach ensures the availability of medicines at affordable prices without compromising quality while preserving the stability of the national pharmaceutical market in both public and private sectors.

The Ministry highlighted that this decision coincides with seven new ministerial directives issued this month to regulate the pharmaceutical sector in line with international standards. These directives aim to streamline medicine registration, ensure adherence to specified prices by companies and distributors, and enhance monitoring mechanisms — both field-based and electronic — to achieve transparency, sustainability and market control. According to the Ministry, the new measures have already contributed to lowering medicine prices and expanding treatment options for patients, within a balanced pharmaceutical policy that considers both efficiency and financial accessibility.

This decision follows a series of recent approvals and price reductions: last August, two decisions were issued reducing prices of 400 medicines and approving 144 new drugs; in May, prices for 69 medicines were approved alongside a reduction in Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) injections; in March, prices for 146 new medicines were approved, preceded by a July 2024 decision reducing prices of more than 200 medicines; and in May 2024, prices for 228 medicines and nutritional supplements were approved. — KUNA

MUSCAT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah met on Tuesday with Sultan Haitham bin Tareq of the Sultanate of Oman at Al Baraka Palace in Muscat. During the meeting, the two leaders discussed the longstanding bilateral relations between Kuwait and Oman and explored ways to enhance cooperation across various fields, particularly in the economic sector.

The discussions focused on boosting trade, investment coordination, and integration to reinforce mutual interests and support further progress and prosperity. Members of His Highness the Amir’s accompanying delegation attended the talks. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Cabinet on Tuesday praised the regional and international efforts made by brotherly and friendly countries, which culminated in the signing of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. The announcement came during the Cabinet’s weekly meeting, held at the Kuwait Cancer Control Center under the chairmanship of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

Following the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs stated that the Cabinet was briefed on the official delegation accompanying His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah during his fraternal visit to the Sultanate of Oman. The delegation includes the Minister of Defense Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, Director General of the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority Sheikh Dr Meshal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Director of the Amir’s Office Lieutenant General (Retired) Jamal Mohammed Al-Theyab, Vice Chairman and CEO of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation Sheikh Nawaf Saud Al-Nasser Al-Sabah, and Managing Director of the Public Investment Authority Sheikh Saud Salem Abdulaziz Al-Sabah.

The Cabinet also reviewed the outcomes of the fraternal visit last Wednesday by UAE President Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and his accompanying delegation to Kuwait, highlighting the depth of historical ties between the two countries and the importance of strengthening cooperation across various sectors. The visit underscored the need to continue international efforts to recognize the Palestinian state and fulfill the aspirations of the Palestinian people.

Furthermore, the Cabinet was briefed on His Highness the Amir’s participation in the Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit in Egypt on Monday, during which the end of the war in the Gaza Strip was declared, ending the humanitarian crisis faced by the Palestinian people. His Highness commended the regional and international efforts that led to the ceasefire and reaffirmed Kuwait’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people in achieving their legitimate right to an independent state.

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Saud Al-Sabah briefed the Cabinet on his official visits to Washington and Lyon, highlighting meetings with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott to discuss bilateral cooperation. He also discussed his meetings with Interpol President Major General Dr Ahmed Al-Raisi on combating organized crime and international smuggling.

Minister of Oil and Chairman of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation Tareq Al-Roumi updated the Cabinet on KOC’s new exploratory achievement in Kuwait’s maritime region, the discovery of the Jazza Marine Field of natural gas. His Highness the Prime Minister lauded this milestone, emphasizing the technical expertise and professional competence of national cadres. In addition, the Cabinet approved a draft decree-law to issue a law protecting missing persons and another draft decree-law to combat international crimes, forwarding both to His Highness the Amir for ratification. — KUNA