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Title:

Building Public Health Preparedness Bridges with Kuwait

Date posted:

June 15, 2013

Publication type:

Feature

Publication:

UPMC Center for Health Security, June 2013

Introduction:

In June 13, 2013, Tom Inglesby, Anita Cicero, and Eric Toner traveled to Kuwait for a series of meetings with senior government and Ministry of Health officials to address issues related to epidemic response and public health preparedness. This followed an April visit during which Anita Cicero and Monica Schoch-Spana participated in the first ever disaster management conference in Kuwait.

Center Leaders Meet with Kuwaiti Officials, June 2013

Between June 9 and June 13, 2013, Tom Inglesby, Anita Cicero, and Eric Toner traveled to Kuwait for a series of meetings with senior government and Ministry of Health officials to address issues related to epidemic response and public health preparedness. Many of their discussions focused on the emerging MERS CoV virus that has infected more than 70 people in Kuwait's neighboring countries in recent months.

The Center’s team met with the following people, many of whom are pictured below: Mussab Al-Saleh, Director of Communicable Disease Control Unit; Ghanem Al-Hujailan, Director of the Infectious Disease Hospital; Munther Al-Jazahmah, Deputy Director of Emergency Medical Services; Barges Hmaud Al Barges, Director of the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) and Yousef Al-Merag, Director, Disaster Management and Emergency, KRCS; Dr. Anwar Al-Awadi, Director, Emergency Department, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital; and officials at the Kuwait Life Sciences Corporation (KLSC), including Chief Executive Officer Qais Marafie, Chief Operating Officer Mohammad Al-Anzi, and Medical Director Yasser El-Haddad.

Photo of M. Al-Jazahmah, T. Inglesby, E. Toner, and A. Cicero

L to R: Munther Al-Jazahmah, Deputy Director, Emergency Medical Services, with Tom Inglesby, Eric Toner, and Anita Cicero at the headquarters for Emergency Medical Services, Kuwait

Photo of I. Haider, A. Cicero, T. Inglesby, Y. Al-Merg, and E. Toner

L to R: Iman Haidar, Coordinator, Operations Center, Disaster Management and Emergency, KRCS; Anita Cicero; Tom Inglesby; Yousef Al-Merag, Director, Disaster Management and Emergency, Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS); and Eric Toner at the KRCS Operations Center

Photo of E. Toner, A. Cicero, A. Al-Awadi, and T. Inglesby

L to R: Eric Toner; Anita Cicero; Anwar Al-Awadi, Director, Emergency Department; and Tom Inglesby in the ED of Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital

Phot of E. Toner, M. Al-Jazahmah, and T. Inglesby

L to R: Eric Toner, Munther Al-Jazahmah, and Tom Inglesby

L to R: Ghanem Al-Hujailan, Director of the Infectious Disease Hospital, and Tom Inglesby in the ICU of the hospital

Center Participates in First Disaster Management Conference in Kuwait

On April 15-17, Anita Cicero, COO/Deputy Director, and Monica Schoch-Spana, Senior Associate, are participating in the 2013 International EMS/Disaster Management Conference and Exhibition in Kuwait, the first conference of its kind in the country.

Kuwait is considering the adoption of a joint command system across government ministries to manage disasters more effectively. Schoch-Spana spoke to conference delegates on the , underscoring its application in urban settings internationally.

While in Kuwait, Cicero and Schoch-Spana met with Barges Hmaud Al Barges, President of the Kuwait Red Crescent Society, to discuss the country’s interest in improved disaster preparedness and response, including for radiological emergencies. They were also invited to tour the KRCS emergency operations center, the first in the region. KRCS hopes this EOC will serve as the model for other Gulf countries.

Photo of M. Schoch-Spana, B. H. Al Barges, A. Cicero, Y. Al Merag, and M. Al Anzi

L to R: Monica Schoch-Spana, Center for Biosecurity; Barges Hmaud Al Barges, President, KRCS; Anita Cicero, Center for Biosecurity; Yousef Al Merag, Director, Disaster Management and Emergency, KRCS; Mohammad Al Anzi, COO, Kuwait Life Sciences Corporation

Photo of M. Al Anzi, I. Haider, M. Schoch-Spana, Y. Al Merag, and A. Cicero

L to R: Mohammad Al Anzi; Iman Haidar, Coordinator, Operations Center, Disaster Management and Emergency, KRCS; Monica Schoch-Spana; Yousef Al Merag; Anita Cicero.

Anita Cicero, representing the Center at the 2013 International EMS/Disaster Management Conference and Exhibition in Kuwait