KUWAIT CITY, Jan 23: Minister of Health Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi announced that Kuwait is on the verge of launching new transplant programs for liver, heart, and pancreas transplants. The country is also working on a lung transplant program, while continuing to support its ambitious initiatives following successes in organ transplantation, such as stem cell and pancreas transplant programs.

In his opening speech at the Fourth Gulf Conference on Kidney Diseases and Transplantation on Thursday, Minister Al-Awadhi highlighted the success of Kuwait’s national kidney transplant program, which achieved a significant milestone in 2024 by successfully transplanting 149 kidneys with a success rate of over 96%. He also mentioned the opening of the Kuwait Center for Kidney Diseases and Transplantation in the Al-Sabah area last year, which boasts 80 beds, state-of-the-art medical equipment, and a team of distinguished medical professionals.

Additionally, the inauguration of the organ transplant department at Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital in March marked a major advancement in the country's healthcare sector. Minister Al-Awadhi further noted the launch of a national kidney transplant program using family exchange, a pioneering initiative designed to expand the pool of kidney donors, thereby improving the chances of successful transplants and easing the suffering of patients.

Dr. Turki Al-Otaibi, Head of the Kidney Diseases Department at the Kuwait Kidney Diseases Center, Chairman of the Kuwait Society for Organ Transplantation, and Chairman of the conference, emphasized in his speech that the event serves as a vital medical platform for fostering cooperation and advancing healthcare in the field of kidney diseases and transplantation. He noted that kidney diseases are a global health challenge, affecting approximately 10% of the world’s population. Millions suffer from kidney failure each year due to a lack of access to appropriate treatments, particularly in developing countries, where there is a severe shortage of dialysis machines and high treatment costs that strain health budgets.

Dr. Anas Al-Youssef, Head of the Kidney Unit at Jaber Hospital and Chairman of the Kuwait Society for Kidney Diseases, echoed these concerns in his speech. He pointed out the growing number of kidney disease patients, particularly those with chronic kidney failure, many of whom are unaware of their condition. Dr. Al-Youssef also referred to global statistics, which predict that kidney diseases will become the fifth leading cause of death worldwide by 2040, highlighting the urgent need for action and the responsibility of the medical community to work towards reducing these alarming rates.