Kuwait’s first heart transplant a success

KUWAIT: The first heart transplant surgery in Kuwait has been completed successfully on a 20-year-old patient, Health Minister Sheikh Dr Basel Al-Sabah said yesterday. The patient was being treated for a serious cardiac ailment, where his failing heart was replaced with a healthy one from an organ donor, the minister said in a statement. The success of the procedure required a great degree of meticulousness and preparation, he explained, saying such an operation needed a state-of-the-art team and profound expertise.

On the success of the surgery, the minister said it was a testament to the tremendous progress the health ministry has made in recent years, besides being another notable accomplishment for Kuwaiti healthcare. He thanked everybody who contributed to the success of the country’s first heart transplant, including the surgical team and staff members.

Meanwhile, HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah congratulated Sheikh Basel on the success of the heart transplant. Heaping praise on this “historic” healthcare achievement, the Amir expressed his warm sentiments in a cable he sent to the health minister yesterday, in which he also acknowledged the meticulous efforts of the entire surgical team.

Physicians Dr Riyadh Tarzi, Dr Mohamad Shamsa, Dr Mohammad Al-Banna, Dr Khaldoun Al-Hamoud and Dr Mohammad Badwi were lionized by HH the Amir for their intellect and expertise that helped make the procedure a success. HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah sent similar cables to the health minister.