From Mandate to Implementation: Operationalizing National Multisectoral Governance for NCDs in Kuwait

In Kuwait, a two-day, national workshop brought together 33 participants, including directors and programme leads from departments across different technical areas of the Ministry of Health. With support from the World Health Organization (WHO), the workshop strengthened institutional capacity for the operationalization of multisectoral governance for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

Kuwait has taken important steps to strengthen the national response to NCDs. To better address the interrelated social, economic, environmental, and commercial determinants of NCDs, the country has  a dedicated directorate for the prevention and control of NCDs and a national multisectoral governance mechanism. As part of this renewed mandate, Kuwait is working to engage government sectors beyond health, other national institutions, and international partners to strengthen more coherent and sustained policies on NCD prevention and control.

At the Ministry of Health’s request, the WHO, through its Global Coordination Mechanism on NCDs (GCM/NCDs), the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, and WHO office in Kuwait, provided technical support to facilitate the transition from formal mandates to practical implementation. 

Practical examples and lessons learned

The two-day workshop focused on operationalizing multisectoral governance for NCDs in line with national priorities, and featured selected WHO technical tools, frameworks and country case studies, including examples from the WHO Compendium Report on Multisectoral Action. Sessions progressed from conceptual foundations to practical application, using the four pillars of multisectoral action (governance & accountability; leadership at all levels; ways of working, and resources and capabilities) to illustrate how multisectoral governance can be operationalized in practice. 

Knowledge

Compendium report on multisectoral actions for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions: country case studies

Drawing on country examples from Brazil, Canada, Finland, Mozambique, and the United Kingdom, and learning from regional experiences in Oman and Jordan, participants discussed implementation priorities for NCDs, including tobacco control in line with WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and WHO’s NCD best-buys, and Kuwait’s draft national obesity action plan. The need to amplify community voices and strengthen policy coherence across sectors, including through fiscal measures, education, and urban planning emerged as a future milestone for Kuwait’s ambitions in advancing multisectoral governance of NCDs. 

Knowledge

Tackling NCDs Best buys and other recommended interventions for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases

Interactive sessions focused on identifying major challenges in operationalizing the work of the national multisectoral coordination mechanism. Participants discussed ways to clearly define roles and responsibilities across ministries and agencies, dedicate resources, and establish reporting mechanisms that support implementation, monitoring, and accountability.

Towards An Operational National Coordination Mechanism

By the end of the workshop, participants shared a better understanding of how to operationalize multisectoral governance across Kuwait’s NCD response, including which sectors to engage and what practical steps to prioritize. 

Building on participants’ engagement and positive feedback, the next implementation phase will now focus on developing a follow-up roadmap outlining the priority NCD policies, mapping existing programmes and stakeholders, clarifying institutional roles, responsibilities and deliverables, and identifying early opportunities for action, particularly in strengthening tobacco control, obesity and physical activity.

Acknowledgement

This workshop was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the NCD Directorate in the Ministry of Health of Kuwait, the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Coordination Mechanism on Noncommunicable Diseases (GCM/NCDs), the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, and the WHO Country Office in Kuwait. The workshop was financially supported by the Government of Kuwait.