KUWAIT: Farwaniya Governor Sheikh Athbi Nasser Al-Athbi Al-Sabah announced on Tuesday the governorate’s aspiration to complete the procedures for accrediting West Abdullah Al-Mubarak City as a Healthy City, making it the third city in the governorate to join Kuwait’s network of Healthy Cities. Speaking during a special event to mark the city’s official registration with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Healthy Cities Network, Sheikh Athbi confirmed the signing of the city’s accession and reaffirmed the governorate’s commitment to expanding health-focused urban initiatives.

“We aim to achieve tangible progress in the implementation of Healthy City programs across the country and to serve the residents of the area in particular,” he said. Sheikh Athbi extended his gratitude to Dr. Amal Al-Yahya, Head of the Healthy Cities Office at the Ministry of Health, as well as to the office’s team, Faisal Al-Bidan, Head of the Coordination Committee for West Abdullah Al-Mubarak, and the committee members for their efforts in aligning the city with the required health standards.

On the sidelines of the event, Dr. Al-Yahya explained the multi-stage process involved in registering a city under the WHO Healthy Cities framework. She noted that the process begins with the formation of a dedicated coordination committee, officially endorsed by the governor, followed by the establishment of a headquarters under the name “Healthy City Office.”

“After completing these foundational steps, a form detailing the city’s demographic and service structure is submitted to the WHO via the Ministry of Health’s Healthy Cities Office,” she said. “Once accepted, the city is listed as seeking accreditation and must proceed to meet the required standards.” Dr Al-Yahya added that the office provides training, support, and resources during the next phase, which includes self-assessment and submission of a comprehensive city profile. A WHO delegation then conducts an on-site evaluation, and if the city meets 80 percent or more of the standards, it is granted official accreditation for a period of three years.

She noted that the Healthy Cities Office, established a decade ago, continues to play a pivotal role in Kuwait’s public health development. To date, 21 cities have been registered under the initiative, with 10 fully accredited cities, including Yarmouk, which has received re-accreditation, as well as the recent inclusion of Sabah Al-Salem University Health City and four health-promoting commercial complexes. The Healthy Cities initiative reflects Kuwait’s ongoing efforts to foster sustainable, health-conscious urban environments in line with global standards. — KUNA