Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi has issued Ministerial Resolution No. 298 of 2026 establishing the Epidemiology and Cancer Registry Department at the Kuwait Cancer Control Center (KCCC).

The Ministry said the decision aims to build an integrated and accurate national database of cancer data and indicators and develop a system for monitoring and tracking cancer cases. The new department will work to improve the quality and analysis of cancer data according to medical and scientific standards.

This will allow authorities to monitor cancer incidence, mortality and survival rates, as well as changes over the years, and use statistical indicators to anticipate future trends and support prevention, diagnosis and treatment efforts.

Under the decision, the department will include two specialized units: the Cancer Epidemiology and Medical Statistics Unit and the Cancer Registry Unit. The Cancer Epidemiology and Medical Statistics Unit will review, evaluate and analyze cancer registry data, issue the annual report, and follow up on research and scientific cooperation.

The Cancer Registry Unit will collect and document diagnosed cancer cases in Kuwait from various health sources, including government and private entities, laboratories and mortality data, covering all ages and nationalities.

The decision also calls for developing cancer registry databases and linking them with health systems related to prevention, diagnosis and treatment. It includes the use of technical solutions to accelerate data entry and processing, as well as the electronic publication of the registry’s annual report and linking its statistics to an interactive dashboard to facilitate access to and use of health indicators.

The decision also stressed strengthening Kuwait’s scientific presence through the participation of the Cancer Registry in studies and cooperation with relevant international bodies and institutions, including the World Health Organization and international organizations specializing in cancer registries and research.

Such cooperation will be carried out in accordance with ethical approvals, audit and review mechanisms, and the Ministry of Health’s controls governing the use of data for research.

The establishment of the department represents an organizational step toward strengthening cancer epidemiological surveillance and converting data into indicators that can be used for health planning, scientific research and assessment of the quality of care. It will also support the development of national cancer control programs and health decisions based on data and scientific evidence.