Kuwait city: The 1st Gulf Pediatric Conference commenced in Kuwait, running for three days and featuring various international medical institutions. The conference aims to strengthen Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member state cooperation in pediatrics, as well as to facilitate the exchange of expertise and keep participants up-to-date with the latest developments in the field.

According to Qatar News Agency, in his opening speech, Kuwait’s Health Minister Dr. Ahmad Al Awadhi stated that holding this conference reflects the shared interest in enhancing healthcare and integrating efforts to develop national pediatric programs, in addition to exchanging expertise. Meanwhile, GCC Secretary General Jasem AlBudaiwi highlighted that child health is a cornerstone in building Gulf societies, citing figures from the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf (GCC-Stat) that show the number of children under 14 years old in GCC members has reached 7.9 million in 2023, along with 2.2 million aged from 15-19.

The health of these groups is a top priority for GCC states, according to AlBudaiwi, due to these groups constituting the region’s true wealth and a pillar of its future development.