KUWAIT CITY, Aug 3: For the first time in the history of Kuwait, a total of 17 kidney transplant operations were carried out within one month in the country, reports Al-Qabas daily. This was announced by the Head of the Department of Organ Transplant Surgery at the Hamed Al-Essa Center, Dr. Saja Sorour. In a press statement, she explained that increasing health awareness regarding the importance of organ donation of the living or dead played a vital role in carrying out this type of operation. During the last period, the center witnessed continuous efforts to increase the capacity for kidney transplant operations, with the aim of ensuring saving on the general budget, and conducting operations in Kuwait instead of sending patients abroad.

The medical and nursing staff succeeded in increasing transplant operations, thanks to the efforts made by the President of the Kuwait Organ Transplantation Society Dr. Mustafa Al-Mousawi. There are 10 cases out of the 17 operations in which the kidneys were donated by the living, including relatives of the patient.

This indicates an increase in health awareness among large segments of society. This contributed significantly to demonstrating the benefits of organ donation clearly, and its legitimacy and importance. Dr. Sorour stressed the importance of this step in developing the activity of organ transplantation in the country over the past years. She went on to explain that the other seven kidney transplant operations were done using the kidneys of brain-dead donors who opted to donate their organs before their death. All approvals were obtained from the patients before their death or from their relatives. Dr. Sorour affirmed the need to donate organs after death to save the lives of others.