Kuwait to establish first skin bank and microsurgery lab

Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi announced that Kuwait will soon establish its first-ever skin bank and a microscopic surgery laboratory, marking a significant step forward in the country’s healthcare system. The initiative is part of the Ministry of Health’s strategy to enhance medical performance and deliver high-quality, comprehensive services.

The announcement was made today on Dr. Al-Awadhi’s behalf by Dr. Abdullah Al-Fars, Assistant Undersecretary for Supportive Medical Services, during the opening of the Second Multidisciplinary Kuwait Conference on Plastic Surgery and Cosmetic Medicine.

The Al-Jarida daily reports, the two-day conference, hosted by the Al-Babtain Burns and Plastic Surgery Center in collaboration with the Kuwait Surgeons Association, runs from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. local time.

Dr. Al-Fars praised Al-Babtain Center’s pivotal role in specialized care, noting it is Kuwait’s only dedicated plastic and burn surgery center, and among the region’s leading institutions. Last year alone, the center treated over 20,000 patients and performed 1,200 advanced surgical procedures.

Conference Chairman Dr. Mohammed Khalaf, Head of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, said the event aims to bring together professionals across specialties to enhance collaborative care in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.

Dr. Ahmed Al-Ali, a surgeon at the Al-Babtain Center, emphasized the urgent need for a skin bank to treat severe burn cases. The facility will store donated skin from deceased individuals to be used in life-saving surgeries, positioning Kuwait as a regional leader in burn treatment.

Dr. Al-Ali also highlighted a joint research initiative with Harvard University, noting a recent visit by Professor Kavita Raghunathan, Chair of Craniofacial Reconstructive Surgery at Harvard, to perform complex surgeries in Kuwait as part of the collaboration.