The Kuwait Programme at the London School of Economics (LSE) recently hosted its inaugural conference in Kuwait for 2024, spotlighting healthcare innovation and policy reform. Sponsored by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), the event featured discussions on healthcare technology, socioeconomic factors in health, and system-wide improvements. With approximately 80 attendees, including members of academia, policy circles, industry, and decision-makers, this year’s conference highlighted the strength of Kuwait–UK scientific collaboration and science diplomacy. The event leveraged LSE’s global expertise and coincided with the 125th anniversary of bilateral relations between the two countries.
Strengthening the Kuwait–UK
Ties through Science
The LSE Kuwait Programme, driven by the KFAS’s investment and vision, has served as a research link between Kuwait and the UK since its founding. The Programme fosters cross-national dialogue, helping Kuwait address local issues within a global framework through scientific insight. Since its inception, the Programme has drawn on LSE’s academic expertise across disciplines, from economics and governance to healthcare, adapting these insights to Kuwait’s unique challenges.
2024 Conference Themes
This year’s event focused on delivering healthcare excellence to Kuwait. Launched by the LSE Professor Alistair McGuire, an expert in health economics, the conference sessions examined themes such as digital healthcare infrastructure, chronic disease management, and health data analytics. McGuire’s keynote on global healthcare trends set the stage for the conference, urging Kuwait to consider how technologies such as telemedicine and digital health records can enhance patient outcomes.
The conference featured three primary panels.
In the first, chaired by Mariam Behbehani of the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), experts discussed the transformative role of technology in healthcare delivery. Dr. Dari Alhuwail of Kuwait University (KU) and Dr. Huda AlRashidi, Kuwait College of Science and Technology (KCST), showcased innovations in health informatics, emphasizing the potential of digitized patient records and AI-driven predictive tools for conditions such as air pollution, which has significant health impacts in Kuwait.
Dr. Saad Alsharrah from the Dasman Diabetes Institute (DDI) presented research on using geospatial data to identify disease clusters. These insights could be crucial in addressing Kuwait’s high rates of diabetes and other lifestyle diseases, which have become national health priorities.
The second panel examined lifestyle and socioeconomic factors contributing to chronic diseases, led by Dr. Abdullah Alibrahim. LSE’s Dr. Zlatko Nikoloski presented research on diabetes, focusing on its financial toll and socioeconomic disparities. Mariam Behbehani discussed infertility treatment costs—a pressing issue as Kuwaiti families confront financial challenges related to long-term health care. This discussion highlighted the need for expanded healthcare access for all income groups.
In the final panel orchestrated by Dr. Zlattko, Dr. Zainab AlMeraj (KU), discussed how accessibility in healthcare, particularly through digital channels, can create a more inclusive system. Dr. Abdullah Alibrahim (KU) shared insights regarding patient-centered policies that prioritize care quality and access, emphasizing that equitable treatment across public and private sectors could increase trust in Kuwait’s healthcare system.
The LSE faculty’s involvement demonstrated the value of international academic perspectives in addressing Kuwait’s healthcare challenges. Each expert, in tandem with Kuwaiti panelists, contributed unique insights, from health economics to data science, enriching the discourse on healthcare reform. This academic collaboration helps shape policies with practical applications for Kuwait’s healthcare infrastructure while providing crucial experience for Kuwaiti researchers in presenting their valuable findings to a large audience from the healthcare network.
Moving Forward: A Legacy of Collaboration
This year’s conference underscored the Kuwait Programme’s support in addressing healthcare and scientific needs in Kuwait. By linking research insights with policy discussions, the Programme supports efforts to enhance health access and equity. As the partnership evolves, it remains an example of international collaboration that encourages knowledge exchange and applied research, helping to inform public welfare initiatives in Kuwait.
