Kuwait Finance House (KFH) CEO Mohammed Al-Omar said that KFH extends its social role to cover its gulf, Arabian, and international surroundings, in addition to achieving success, adopting projects that serve various peoples, and reveals the modern image of Kuwait and its people. He added that the success that KFH has accomplished in its overseas expansions in the financial field will be also accomplished concerning its social role, since they both share the same base, which is achieving growth and development to all people, regardless of their colour or ethnic background. He went on to say in a press statement on the occasion of a celebration after KFH signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) that is rendered to be the first of its kind among banks to upgrade the services offered to diabetes patients in the gulf and the Middle East areas, that KFH is working towards extending its social role to serve millions of people in the gulf and the Middle East.
The ceremony was attended by the CEO of the IDF Ann Keeling, the Acting Ministry of Health’s Undersecretary Dr. Youssef Al-Nesf, Al-Salam Hospital’s Chairman and Managing Director Dr. Tareq Al-Mukhaizeem, Al-Salam Hospital’s General Manager Dr. Ayman Al-Mutawwa, Dr. Abdullah Bin Nekhi, and Dr. Muneera Al-Arrouj from Dasman Diabetes Research Center, in addition to several ministerial and KFH officials. The agreement states that the two parties cooperate in organizing awareness campaigns, forums, lectures, and programs about diabetes, in order to control the disease and its complications.
Keeling mentioned that the IDF stresses the fact that its cooperation with KFH will boost its efforts in Kuwait and the GCC, since KFH is an influential partner that can assist in increasing the awareness of diabetes, and improving the services offered to the patients. She went on to say that there are more than 160,000 diabetic patients in Kuwait, which makes Kuwait one of the 10 countries that have the highest diabetes patients in the world. Thus, the IDF is keen to cooperate with the countries of the region and specifically the GCC countries, and said that her visit to Kuwait is to sign the agreement and know more about diabetes in Kuwait, in addition to its civilization and culture. She noted that the International Diabetes Conference will be held in Dubai, where it is considered to be one of the most important medical conferences in the world.
Moreover, Dr. Al-Nesf explained that through this agreement and many other activities that are held in conjunction with the ministry to overcome diabetes, KFH serves as a model as to how financial institutions should handle their social responsibilities. He added that Kuwait has a national plan to combat diabetes for people below 20 and above 40 years old, and mentioned that the results of the first phase of the plan were rewarding, and currently the second phase is being executed, despite the factors that can affect the disease at that age. He stated that the Arab League has recently approved the Kuwaiti national plan to overcome diabetes.
Dr. Al-Mukhaizeem expected that KFH will strategically and profoundly contribute in the efforts to combat the disease in light of this agreement, and underscored the significant role played by KFH in causing a paradigm shift in Al-Salam Hospital, where it was a family business, but now has become a shareholding company in 2001. He added that the hospital’s capabilities developed to make it the number one hospital in Kuwait in offering private medical services.
It is to be noted that the IDF is an umbrella organization of over 200 national diabetes associations in over 160 countries. It represents the interests of the growing number of people with diabetes and those at risk. The IDF has been leading the global diabetes community since 1950. IDF’s mission is to promote diabetes care, prevention, and a cure worldwide.