KUWAIT, Nov 20 (KUNA) -- The Kuwaiti Ministry of HealthMinistry of Health is working out a plan to treat the fetal and pediatric cardiac problems, assistant undersecretary of the ministry Dr. Rashed Al-Rashood said here on Thursday.

He made the statement in an inaugural speech he delivered on behalf of Minister of Health Ali Al-Barrak to the conference of "the Latest Developments of Fetal Heart Sonar."

"The aim of the plan is to enhance the prenatal detection of heart defects in the early stage of pregnancy and ensure good planning for delivery and the related surgeries," he said.

"The current conference is part of a national project to detect genetic abnormalities in the heats of fetuses and assess any cardiac disorders in the first place," Al-Rashood said.

He praised the efforts of the organizers of the conference and participants who are keen to enhance upgrade the healthcare services in Kuwait.

Meanwhile, chairperson of the organizing committee Dr Amira Al-Hai said fetal defects account for one percent of the genetic abnormalities on the world level.

"However, Kuwait has a higher percentage which ranges between 2 and 3 percent," she regretted.

Al-Hai attributed the problem to the prevalence of marriages among relatives in Kuwait as well as environment pollution.

"The conference, the first of its kind in Kuwait, aims to ensure better care for fetuses and enhance the joint role of gynecologists, pediatricians and cardiologists as well other physicians in the early detection of the prenatal heart defects," she revealed.

Al-Hai voiced hope that the conference would achieve the desired targets of updating the health services and enhance the quality of the healthcare nationwide.

The world average of children who are born with genetic heart defects ranges between six to eight out of every 1,000 children a year, while the rate ranges between 20 and 30 in Kuwait.

The three-day conference, being held under auspices of Minister Al-Barrak gathers a constellation of the specialists in the domains of fetal cardiology, gynecology and pediatrics.