– There are several indicators proving that the steps and measure taken by the State of Kuwait to combat and face the coronavirus pandemic were successful, Kuwait’s Ambassador to Belgium, the EU and NATO Jassem Al-Budaiwi told a webinar in Brussels on Friday.

This came at a webinar on “Pursuing Global Health Security after COVID-19”, organized by the Brussels-based think tank Bussola Institute He listed a number of these positive indicators including an infection rate of less than two percent, average daily deaths below one, vaccination rate with two doses in more than 80 percent for all people that are eligible.

Al-Budaiwi noted that Kuwait was rapidly approaching a complete return to normalcy and is in its fifth and final phase in combatting COVID-19.

He pointed out that the Ministry of Health in Kuwait took necessary and creative measures in order to provide the medical staff with the essential equipment to deal with those infected with COVID-19. The inter-governmental agencies took advanced steps in order to establish tracking programs and a well-organized medical monitoring system was established at all borders in Kuwait during the massive evacuating operation.

Kuwait was one of the first countries that was able to secure vaccines and began vaccinating its population on December 2020.

Moreover, Kuwait ensured that food security in the country was not affected by the pandemic.

He said that Kuwait continues to support international efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Its total contributions amounted to USD 327.4 million, the latest of which was providing USD 40 million dollars to the GAVI Alliance and the COVAX facility initiative, in an effort to enhance and fortify global health security. Finally, Al-Budaiwi said the international community needs to deal with a major problem that developing are facing in securing vaccines for their nationals, which unfortunately has attained crisis level in the African continent is below two percent which the international community seriously needs to take measures to protect those people. On a brighter note, the lesson learned from this pandemic is that humanity prevails under any circumstances, he concluded.

Secretary General of Bussola Institute John Dennehy in his introductory remarks said the webinar would discuss how the development of good practices in Europe and the Gulf states through the course of the pandemic could assist in building effective leadership for global cooperation and multilateral action to ensure better preparedness for the next pandemic.

Source: Kuwait News Agency