AMMAN: Jordan’s Minister of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research Dr Azmi Mahafza, inaugurated the Association of Arab Women Doctors on Thursday in Amman. The inauguration was held under the patronage of Prince Al-Hassan bin Talal and coincided with the third Jordan Women Physicians Conference, which took place on Oct 26-27 in Amman and featured the participation of several Arab delegations, including Kuwait.

The event was attended by representatives from the British Royal College of Physicians and the Mediterranean Taskforce for Cancer Control. It was organized in collaboration with the Jordan Medical Council, Jordan Royal Medical Services, and the Colleges of Medicine at Jordan’s universities. During the event, it was announced that Kuwait would host the second Arab Women Doctors Conference in Nov 2024.

Dr Asmaa Al-Rashed, Consultant in General Surgery, Bariatric Surgery and Endoscopy at Amiri Hospital, said Kuwait’s hosting of the upcoming conference is an honor and an initiative aimed at increasing opportunities for cooperation and the exchange of expertise among Arab doctors. Hosting the conference will also provide scientific and professional development opportunities and empower women doctors in the Arab world.

Dr Rashed praised the idea of organizing the conference and the establishment of the Association of Arab Women Doctors, led by Dr Maisam Akroush and a group of distinguished Jordanian, Gulf and Arab doctors. The association’s board includes members from four Arab countries, including Kuwait.

She emphasized that the association’s goal is to empower women doctors and enhance their professional, academic and social roles. This initiative aligns with the United Nations recommendations of its Vision 2030 to empower women, which Kuwait, along with several Gulf and Arab countries, has ratified.

The Kuwaiti delegation included specialists in medical and surgical fields, such as Dr Masouma Al-Ali, Consultant in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology at Amiri Hospital, Dr Huda Al-Duwaisan, Family Medicine Consultant and Head of Yarmouk Medical Center, Dr Saja Surour, Head of Organ Surgery at Hamid Al-Essa Center, and Dr Jailan Mustafa, Organ Transplant Specialist. They all contributed to the conference with lectures and scientific sessions covering topics such as obesity, organ donation, primary care and psychological health. 

Dr Rashed mentioned some Palestinian women doctors from Gaza participated through prerecorded videos that were shown during the opening ceremony.