KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health, represented by the Kuwait Centers for Disease Control, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET), has launched a four-day Emergency Preparedness and Response Capacity Assessment Workshop in Kuwait City.
The workshop marks a foundational step toward establishing a national Rapid Response Team (RRT) Management Program, aimed at ensuring timely and effective responses to public health emergencies. Rapid Response Teams are multidisciplinary units trained for swift deployment to investigate and respond to disease outbreaks and other public health threats.
The workshop brings together 20–25 professionals from across the public health system, including representatives from the MOH Public Health Administration, regional preventive medicine focal points, Central Medical Stores, Emergency Medical Services, laboratories, local emergency departments and environmental health. Additional participation includes the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition and the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources.
Through group exercises and technical discussions participants will assess national capacity across critical areas such as coordination, surge operations, risk communication, information and resource management and emergency field deployment.
The outcomes of the workshop will guide the development of a national roadmap and initial workplan for institutionalizing a sustainable and effective RRT program. Future phases will include specialized training in RRT management to enhance national emergency preparedness and ensure a rapid, coordinated response to public health threats.
