The Ministry of Health signed an agreement with the US Johns Hopkins University, Sunday stipulating transfer of medical expertise and clinical services to some Kuwaiti hospitals. Acting Minister of Health Mustafa Al-Shimali said, during the signing ceremony, that the aim of this agreement comes within the framework of the national health development plan for raising level of health services provided by the Ministry to both citizens and residents. Al-Shimali, also Minister of Finance, said the state has spared no effort in bringing in highly qualified staff and equipment for improving the health services. On his part, Undersecretary of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Abdulhadi, said at a news conference, that the agreement came after years of negotiations between the two sides, noting that it would particularly target the emergency department and outpatient clinics. Hospitals included in the agreement are Al-Adan, Farwaniya, Amiri and Al-Jahra hospitals, he said. The USD 17.7 million accord is valid for five years. It would include a 100-visit by a consultant and faculty member of the US university per year, of which 70 visits would be for clinical training programs and 30 for non-clinical activities. It also stipulated 420 days of work for clinical programs and 180 working days for non-clinical works, he said. Work at Al-Adan Hospital will begin 90 days after the signing date. In the other hospitals, it will start after approval of the steering committee, after nine months of operations at Al-Adan Hospital, for assessing the preliminary results of the process. Services involving the agreement is clinical services, knowledge transfer, education and training, public health and information management, information technology and medical library, as well as related services and the introduction of remote medical consultations and the support of management and operation.(end) fz.tb.mao KUNA 251603 Dec 11NNNN