Kuwait’s Health Ministry unveils the Salem app

Kuwait just pulled the wraps off a fresh digital doorway to its health system. The Health Ministry introduced Salem, a new app built to replace Q8seha and anchor the country's long-term digital health push. Health Minister Dr Ahmad Al Awadhi called it "a qualitative leap in services provided to citizens and residents."

That is a bold statement, but after digging through what Salem can already do, it is clear Kuwait is aiming for something bigger than a simple app swap. It feels more like a reset, the kind that turns a clutter of systems into one clean, dependable point of entry.

How does it work?

Salem acts like a personal command center for your health life. Everything sits in one place and opens with a tap.

Here is what users can do right now:

• Book visits at health centers and hospitals.
• See medical files in a tidy timeline.
• Track prescriptions and treatments so nothing slips through the cracks.
• Check lab and radiology results without chasing paper.
• Get nudges for routine visits and preventive screenings.

The app links directly to other government health systems, so data moves faster and clinicians can respond faster. Dr Al Awadhi said the team is already working on new layers that cover public health programs, chronic disease follow-ups, pharmacy services, and even home care.
He put it plainly: "Medical services are now available on a single platform, making it easier for citizens to access their data and complete transactions without repeatedly visiting facilities."

Even payments move smoothly. Salem supports Apple Pay across all hospitals in the country's six governorates. Soon, users will also be able to book appointments with visiting doctors from abroad. That alone should help reduce a lot of back-and-forth for patients seeking specialty consults.

Why does it matter?

Digital health succeeds when it removes friction. Salem tries to do exactly that. It gathers scattered records, files, and appointments into one platform so people can spend less time figuring out the system and more time getting care.

Health Ministry spokesperson Dr Abdullah Al Sanad reminded everyone that this shift is not about fancy tech for its own sake. It is about well-being and easy access. He pointed to the ministry's treasure trove of data, which includes more than 18 million lab results and 19 million prescriptions. With Salem, these records stop sitting in separate corners and start working together.

Assistant Undersecretary for Digital Health Adel Al Rashidi captured it neatly when he said Salem is "a qualitative shift in Kuwait's digital health services." By blending more than 30 systems and over 100 million health records, the platform speeds up processes that once felt like molasses. When the machine behind the scenes runs smoothly, care tends to follow.

The context

Kuwait has been steadily building toward a modern and unified health ecosystem. Salem fits into that long climb. The ministry's leaders have been vocal about using digital tools to support a healthier population and a more responsive health system.

At the launch, Communications Minister Omar Al Omar offered full support from the national data exchange platform and said they are committed to making the citizen experience seamless. That partnership matters. National platforms do not transform overnight, but when ministries align, the road gets clearer.

The country's health strategy leans heavily on integration and ease of access. Salem checks both boxes. It replaces an older app, ties together the government's health infrastructure, and creates a single source of truth for patients who are tired of running in circles.

Salem is young, but the ambition behind it is unmistakable. It aims to turn digital health from a patchwork into a well-lit path, one that feels simple, human, and surprisingly refreshing for a government service.