This technology could change forensics forever — and Kuwait is leading the charge
Brig. Al‑Awadhi underscored the department's decisive involvement in major criminal cases solved within record time, including the Imam Al‑Sadiq Mosque bombing, the Hawally 'monster' case involving approximately 18 child rape offenses, and the Jahra wedding tent fire that tragically claimed around 57 lives.
He detailed the department's methodical approach: examining the crime scene, transporting the body to the morgue for a thorough autopsy, followed by a comprehensive medical report that scientifically clarifies the cause of death. These findings are coordinated with investigative authorities to inform legal proceedings.
Highlighting future enhancements, Brig. Al‑Awadhi announced ongoing efforts to align Kuwait's forensic sciences with international standards. A key initiative includes plans to introduce a virtual autopsy—or "virtopsy"—utilizing advanced imaging like CT and MRI scans to examine bodies without surgical dissection, a non‑invasive alternative being adopted in other countries.
He revealed that the department is on the verge of earning multiple international quality certifications—ISO 9001:2015 for quality management and ISO 13485:2016 for medical device standards—underscoring its commitment to meeting rigorous global benchmarks in forensic service delivery and equipment handling.
The Forensic Medicine Department comprises several specialized divisions:
Living Examination Department: Assesses and documents injuries in cases of assault.n
Mortality Examination Department: Determines causes of death, analyzes toxins and injuries.n
Pathology or Tissue Examination Department: Investigates tissue-level alterations to ascertain cause of death.n
Specialized Clinics Department: Includes radiology, ophthalmology, and dentistry specialists.n
Follow-up and Coordination Department: Manages administrative workflows and inter-departmental communication.n
Brig. Al‑Awadhi outlined that forensic reports guide criminal investigations by accurately determining critical elements such as time and cause of death, injury patterns, links to crime scenes, and suspect identification—all based on scientific data.
He further explained that the GDCE's forensic system can be mobilized for complex cases involving fires or advanced decomposition. In such instances, a multidiscipline task force applies strict protocols and coordinated analysis to deliver prompt and reliable results.
Recognizing challenges such as caseload pressure, the need for precision, and confidentiality, the department has established a Quality Control Department and a Coordination Unit. It has also introduced a secure G2G messaging system to transmit forensic reports electronically and discreetly, reducing reliance on paper-based procedures.
In support of digital transformation, the department is integrating services with the Ministry of Interior's 'Sahel' application. Upcoming features will allow citizens and residents to receive notifications relating to civil and medical legal processes—including appointment scheduling and case status—enhancing transparency and procedural efficiency.
The department is evaluating adoption of virtopsy technology—a forensic imaging system that uses CT and MRI to simulate autopsy findings without dissection. This method has gained traction internationally due to its ability to preserve the integrity of the body and facilitate faster, non-invasive investigations—especially relevant in settings with cultural sensitivities regarding autopsies
Brig. Al‑Awadhi also praised the leadership of Sheikh Fahad Al‑Yousef, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, for championing modernization of the forensic sector. He emphasized that Sheikh Al‑Yousef's support is central to the department's development — providing the latest crime detection technologies, promoting continuous professional training, and fostering integration with other Ministry sectors to ensure rapid, transparent justice.
Through these efforts, Kuwait's Forensic Medicine Department is advancing toward international leadership in forensic science — enhancing its role as a crucial pillar in both the security and judicial systems.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab Times
an hour ago
- Arab Times
Kuwait's health system: A pioneering journey and vision for the future
KUWAIT CITY, July 28: Kuwait's healthcare system continues to serve as a pioneering model in the Arab region, reflecting an ambitious vision that extends far beyond numbers and statistics. The country's development in health services is rooted in strong infrastructure, forward-looking policies, and strategic planning guided by its political leadership, which has consistently placed public health at the forefront of national priorities. From establishing cutting-edge medical facilities to enhancing human capital and international cooperation, Kuwait's health sector is steadily evolving to meet global standards. This transformation is anchored in the goals of the New Kuwait 2035 vision, which identifies healthcare as a key pillar in achieving a better quality of life for current and future generations. The Annual Development Plan for 2024/2025 includes 20 strategic projects dedicated to improving health outcomes, with participation from multiple government bodies. The plan allocates approximately KWD 140 million to these efforts, which encompass policies to improve youth health, bolster community well-being, modernize health information systems, and build the capacity of healthcare professionals. Of the 20 projects, 13 are in the implementation phase, three are in the preparatory phase, two have reached the delivery stage, and two have been completed. Additionally, the plan targets healthcare system reform, enhanced insurance services, sustainable financing, and the eradication of health illiteracy. The Ministry of Health, under its ambitious national strategy, continues to focus on upgrading infrastructure, raising the quality of care, and training local healthcare professionals. Speaking to KUNA, Eng. Ibrahim Al-Naham, Assistant Undersecretary for Engineering and Projects Affairs at the Ministry of Health, emphasized that the ministry is committed to executing development projects in accordance with international standards. One of the latest achievements is the new maternity hospital in the Al-Sabah Specialized Medical District, inaugurated in April. Designed with energy-efficient, green building specifications, the hospital provides comprehensive gynecological, obstetric, and neonatal care using the latest technologies. Staffed by qualified national professionals, the facility represents a blend of modern medical practice and compassionate care. Eng. Al-Naham also highlighted four major healthcare projects underway: New Al-Sabah Hospital: Located on 88,710 square meters with a total construction area of 280,636 square meters, the hospital will house 512 beds—including 105 intensive care beds—and 72 outpatient clinics. The facility includes three towers, a helipad, and a parking and engineering services building.n Infectious Diseases Hospital: Spanning 46,523 square meters in the Al-Sabah Medical District, this hospital will include 224 beds, eight intensive care beds, emergency departments, radiology, a pharmacy, and medical records units.n Kuwait Cancer Control Center: Being built on 226,525 square meters, the center will feature 618 beds and advanced automated operating systems.n New Al-Adan Hospital: Designed as a multi-building complex, it includes seven interconnected buildings linked through underground tunnels. Facilities include a Maternity and Children's Hospital, Surgery and Central Services Building, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Building, the Ahmadi Health District Administration, and ample parking areas.n In parallel with infrastructure development, Kuwait continues to build strategic health partnerships both locally and globally. Numerous memoranda of understanding (MoUs) have been signed with local government entities to support the National Healthy Cities Strategy, which aims to promote healthy living and convert strategic plans into actionable community programs. On the international front, Kuwait has hosted several meetings with ambassadors and representatives from European Union countries, aiming to learn from advanced European healthcare systems. These meetings have opened new avenues for knowledge exchange, medical training, and scientific research collaborations. In a significant step forward, Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi signed MoUs with five of the most prominent medical institutions in Paris this July, aimed at strengthening bilateral medical cooperation. These agreements mark a qualitative leap in Kuwait's approach to enhancing healthcare through training and knowledge sharing with world-renowned institutions. Kuwait's long-standing cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to yield valuable initiatives. The opening of the WHO office in Kuwait four years ago solidified over 60 years of collaboration and underscored Kuwait's global health engagement. Launched nearly a decade ago, Kuwait's Healthy Cities Initiative supports the country's sustainable development goals. To date, 18 Kuwaiti cities have been registered in the program, with seven officially accredited by the Regional Network of Healthy Cities. Cities under the initiative have shown measurable improvement in over 80 indicators, covering health, environment, social inclusion, and community participation. The WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office has repeatedly commended Kuwait for its leadership in fostering urban environments that are health-promoting, sustainable, and resilient. At the heart of Kuwait's healthcare vision lies its dedication to developing national medical talent. The government continues to sponsor students to study medicine and pharmacy abroad while also entering agreements with international and local institutions to enhance domestic healthcare education and training. This investment in human capital has already paid dividends. Recently, nine advanced remote robotic surgeries were successfully performed in Kuwait, highlighting the technical proficiency of national medical professionals and the readiness of the local health system to embrace cutting-edge treatment methods. Thanks to the steady expansion of hospitals, the introduction of advanced medical protocols, and the training of specialized staff, Kuwait has significantly reduced the number of patients referred for treatment abroad. The healthcare system now boasts a broader range of services capable of meeting complex medical needs locally. Kuwait's efficient and decisive response to the COVID-19 pandemic remains a standout achievement. The country was among the first to control the outbreak, implement effective containment measures, and roll out one of the highest vaccination rates globally. The government also executed the largest evacuation operation in its history, facilitating the return of citizens from 58 countries on 185 flights. The WHO praised Kuwait's response as highly effective, citing its rapid policy implementation, immunization success, and valuable regional contributions to the pandemic response. Kuwait's healthcare journey began in 1904 with the construction of the country's first clinic. The first hospital followed in 1912, and the first private pharmacy was established in 1927. The Public Health Department was formed in 1936, leading to the opening of the first government clinic in 1939 and the issuance of the first regulatory health law in 1944. The inauguration of Amiri Hospital in 1949, attended by the late Emir Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, marked a significant chapter in Kuwait's modern healthcare history. The pace of public hospital construction accelerated during the 1960s, setting the stage for the comprehensive system that exists today. More than a century later, Kuwait remains steadfast in its commitment to providing world-class healthcare. Through visionary planning, investment in infrastructure, development of human capital, and international collaboration, Kuwait is forging a resilient, innovative, and inclusive health system for generations to come.
Kuwait Times
3 days ago
- Kuwait Times
Zionists massacre starving Gazans
GAZA: The Al-Shaer family went to bed hungry at their home in Gaza City. A Zionist airstrike killed them in their sleep. The family – pregnant freelance journalist Walaa Al-Jaabari, her husband and their five children – were among more than 100 people killed in 24 hours of Zionist strikes or gunfire, according to health officials. Their corpses lay in white shrouds outside their bombed home on Wednesday with their names scribbled in pen. Blood seeped through the shrouds as they lay there, staining them red. 'This is my cousin. He was 10. We dug them out of the rubble,' Amr Al-Shaer, holding one of the bodies after retrieving it. Iman Al-Shaer, another relative who lives nearby, said the family hadn't eaten anything before the bombs came down. 'The children slept without food,' he said. Relatives said some neighbors were spared only because they had been out searching for food at the time of the strike. Ten more Palestinians died overnight from starvation, the Gaza health ministry said, bringing the total number of people who have starved to death to 111, most of them in recent weeks as a wave of hunger crashes on the Palestinian enclave. The World Health Organization said on Wednesday 21 children under the age of five were among those who died of malnutrition so far this year. It said it had been unable to deliver any food for nearly 80 days between March and May and that a resumption of food deliveries was still far below what is needed. Naeema, a 30-year-old Palestinian mother, carries her malnourished 2-year-old son Yazan as they stand in their damaged home in Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 23, 2025. - AFP In a statement on Wednesday, 111 organizations, including Mercy Corps, the Norwegian Refugee Council and Refugees International, said mass starvation was spreading even as tons of food, clean water and medical supplies sit untouched just outside Gaza, where aid groups are blocked from accessing them. The head of the World Health Organization also weighed in, saying that a 'large proportion of the population of Gaza is starving'. 'I don't know what you would call it other than mass starvation — and it's man-made,' Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters. The United Nations and aid groups trying to deliver food to Gaza say the Zionist entity, which controls everything that comes in and out, is choking delivery, and Zionist troops have shot hundreds of Palestinians dead close to aid collection points since May. 'We have a minimum set of requirements to be able to operate inside Gaza,' Ross Smith, the director of emergencies at the UN World Food Program, told Reuters. 'One of the most important things I want to emphasize is that we need to have no armed actors near our distribution points, near our convoys.' Zionist UN Ambassador Danny Danon told the Security Council on Wednesday that the Zionist entity will now grant only one-month visas to international staff from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The Zionist entity has since killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians in Gaza, reduced most of the territory to ruins and forced nearly the entire population to flee their homes multiple times. US Middle East peace envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to hold new ceasefire talks, travelling to Europe this week for meetings on the Gaza war and a range of other issues, a US official said on Tuesday. Zionist President Isaac Herzog told soldiers during a visit to Gaza on Wednesday that 'intensive negotiations' about returning captives held there were underway and he hoped that they would soon 'hear good news', according to a statement. A senior Palestinian official told Reuters Hamas might give mediators a response to the latest proposals in Doha later on Wednesday, on the condition that amendments be made to two major sticking points: Details on a Zionist military withdrawal, and on how to distribute aid during a truce. Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet includes far-right parties that oppose any agreement that ends without the total destruction of Hamas. 'The second I spot weakness in the prime minister and if I come to think, heaven forbid, that this is about to end with us surrendering instead of with Hamas's absolute surrender, I won't remain (in the government) for even a single day,' Finance Minister Belalel Smotrich told Army Radio. – Agencies
Arab Times
4 days ago
- Arab Times
Kuwait advances healthcare with global expertise and cutting-edge technology
KUWAIT CITY, July 24: Kuwait is pressing ahead with a wide-ranging transformation of its healthcare sector, with a focus on adopting global medical expertise, enhancing emergency response systems, and expanding digital and preventive care services, according to Ministry of Health Spokesperson Dr. Abdullah Al-Sanad. Speaking at a press conference hosted by the Government Communication Center, Dr. Al-Sanad outlined the ministry's efforts to elevate Kuwait's healthcare standards through a multi-faceted approach that includes specialized infrastructure, international collaboration, and a strong push for digitalization. At the core of this strategy is the establishment of specialized medical zones across Kuwait. Among the most significant projects is the new Al-Adan Hospital, comprising nine interconnected buildings aimed at delivering comprehensive services to citizens in the surrounding area. Similar integrated health zones have been established in Al-Ahmadi and Al-Sabah, designed to provide secondary and specialized care within easy geographic reach. New facilities such as the Mutlaa Emergency Center, Infectious Diseases Hospital, and Kuwait Cancer Control Center are also being launched, while the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department has been relocated from Al-Adan Hospital to the Maternity and Childhood Hospital, improving focus and care delivery. Among the notable advancements is the First Responder Project, introduced earlier this month. The initiative features 28 mobile medical units dedicated to delivering rapid response care in emergencies. In its inaugural week, the units responded to 70 cases, demonstrating their potential to strengthen Kuwait's emergency care framework. In a similar vein, the ministry has installed 20 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) at Kuwait International Airport to improve outcomes for cardiac arrest victims. To ensure proper use, specialized training has been launched for airport staff in cooperation with relevant authorities. To strengthen domestic medical capacity, the ministry has hosted 140 visiting doctors from around the world, offering advanced treatments and knowledge exchange with Kuwaiti healthcare providers. This initiative is part of a broader effort to integrate international standards into Kuwait's medical system while training national cadres. In diagnostic services, a newly inaugurated MRI wing at Al-Razi Hospital has doubled both imaging equipment and patient throughput. Simultaneously, a new border medical center in Nuwaiseeb, along with 13 health centers across all Kuwaiti border crossings, have been launched to ensure accessible care for travelers and residents at key entry points. Kuwaiti emergency departments recorded 200,000 cases in January alone, reflecting the scale of services provided nationwide. Across the country, there are 117 primary healthcare centers, 30% of which operate 24/7. Additional facilities include 38 maternity clinics, 72 mental health clinics, 35 preventive health centers, 20 ophthalmology clinics, and 18 ENT clinics. In the first half of 2025, 86,860 emergency cases were handled, with 72,236 patients transported via ambulance. These included over 50,000 urgent and nearly 22,000 non-urgent cases, along with 5,068 traffic accident responses, 420 airlifts, and 35 medical evacuations. Dr. Al-Sanad noted a decline in road accidents following the implementation of the new traffic law in May, with 357 fewer reports over two months. The ministry is also accelerating its digital transformation. Through the 'Sahel' application, 23 health services have been made available, with 338,844 users benefiting during the first half of the year. Since October 2023, 3.9 million electronic patient visits have been recorded. This transition has eased pressure on health centers, reducing visits from 15.5 million in 2022 to 13.2 million in 2024. Preventive health services are expanding as well. Early breast cancer screening saw 4,275 applicants in the first half of 2025, up from 1,114 in 2023 and 8,141 in 2024, for a total of 13,530 screenings to date. Meanwhile, 872 bedridden patients have received care through the ministry's home visit program, with plans underway to launch similar services tailored to children. In conclusion, Dr. Al-Sanad emphasized the ministry's ongoing commitment to comprehensive and forward-looking healthcare reform. Through strategic partnerships, smart infrastructure, and digital innovation, Kuwait is steadily building a more responsive and inclusive national health system.
