Kuwait achieves milestone in robotic surgery with remote prostatectomy
KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health on Wednesday announced a groundbreaking achievement in the country's medical sector with the successful completion of a radical prostatectomy using robotic-assisted remote surgery technology. The operation, performed using the MEDBOT surgical robot, underscores Kuwait's growing expertise in advanced surgical techniques and its commitment to innovation in healthcare.
In a press statement, the Ministry said the operation was carried out at the Sabah Al-Ahmad Kidney and Urology Center in the Al-Sabah Specialized Medical District. The patient, a man in his sixties diagnosed with a localized cancerous tumor in the prostate, was operated on remotely by Kuwaiti consultant and head of the Surgery Department Dr Saad Al-Dosari, who led the procedure from Strasbourg, France — approximately 5,000 kilometers away.
The medical team inside Sabah Al-Ahmad Kidney Center during surgery.- KUNA photos
Live broadcast of surgery.
The pioneering procedure was broadcast live during the opening session of the World Robot Surgeons Conference in Strasbourg, attended by around 2,500 surgeons and medical professionals from across the globe. Minister of Health Dr Ahmad Al-Awadhi attended the event to support the Kuwaiti medical team and reaffirm the Ministry's dedication to fostering global excellence in healthcare. During his remarks at the conference, Dr Al-Awadhi stressed that the achievement highlights the capabilities of Kuwaiti medical professionals on the international stage. He reiterated the Ministry's commitment to adopting cutting-edge surgical technologies and providing an environment that empowers national medical talent.
The Ministry noted that this was the ninth remote robotic surgery successfully performed in Kuwait under the leadership of Dr Al-Dosari and his team. Eight similar procedures were completed over the past six months, including surgeries performed by Dr Al-Dosari from Shanghai, China, for patients in Kuwait. This latest accomplishment marks a significant advancement for Kuwait's healthcare sector, placing the country among global leaders in robotic and remote surgery. It also reflects the ongoing efforts of the Ministry of Health to harness modern medical technologies in service of the Kuwaiti people and position the country as a regional and global model for healthcare excellence.
Leadership congratulates team
Meanwhile, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent two congratulatory cables on Wednesday to Minister of Health Dr Ahmad Abdulwahab Al-Awadhi and Dr Saad Abdulhadi Al-Dosari, commending them and the specialized medical team on the successful completion of nine high-precision remote robotic surgeries. His Highness the Amir lauded the achievement as a historic and commendable milestone that highlights the professionalism of Kuwaiti medical cadres and the nation's ability to keep pace with cutting-edge advancements in global healthcare. He prayed to Allah Almighty to grant continued success to all those involved in serving Kuwait and raising its profile in international medical arenas.
His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah also sent two cables of congratulations to Dr Al-Awadhi and Dr Al-Dosari, applauding the medical team for the distinguished accomplishment that places Kuwait at the forefront of advanced surgical innovation. Similarly, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah extended his heartfelt congratulations to Dr Al-Awadhi, Dr Al-Dosari, and the entire team for their global medical success, wishing them further progress and continued excellence in the service of the nation. — KUNA
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kuwait Times
3 days ago
- Kuwait Times
Zionists massacre starving Gazans
GAZA: The Al-Shaer family went to bed hungry at their home in Gaza City. A Zionist airstrike killed them in their sleep. The family – pregnant freelance journalist Walaa Al-Jaabari, her husband and their five children – were among more than 100 people killed in 24 hours of Zionist strikes or gunfire, according to health officials. Their corpses lay in white shrouds outside their bombed home on Wednesday with their names scribbled in pen. Blood seeped through the shrouds as they lay there, staining them red. 'This is my cousin. He was 10. We dug them out of the rubble,' Amr Al-Shaer, holding one of the bodies after retrieving it. Iman Al-Shaer, another relative who lives nearby, said the family hadn't eaten anything before the bombs came down. 'The children slept without food,' he said. Relatives said some neighbors were spared only because they had been out searching for food at the time of the strike. Ten more Palestinians died overnight from starvation, the Gaza health ministry said, bringing the total number of people who have starved to death to 111, most of them in recent weeks as a wave of hunger crashes on the Palestinian enclave. The World Health Organization said on Wednesday 21 children under the age of five were among those who died of malnutrition so far this year. It said it had been unable to deliver any food for nearly 80 days between March and May and that a resumption of food deliveries was still far below what is needed. Naeema, a 30-year-old Palestinian mother, carries her malnourished 2-year-old son Yazan as they stand in their damaged home in Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, on July 23, 2025. - AFP In a statement on Wednesday, 111 organizations, including Mercy Corps, the Norwegian Refugee Council and Refugees International, said mass starvation was spreading even as tons of food, clean water and medical supplies sit untouched just outside Gaza, where aid groups are blocked from accessing them. The head of the World Health Organization also weighed in, saying that a 'large proportion of the population of Gaza is starving'. 'I don't know what you would call it other than mass starvation — and it's man-made,' Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters. The United Nations and aid groups trying to deliver food to Gaza say the Zionist entity, which controls everything that comes in and out, is choking delivery, and Zionist troops have shot hundreds of Palestinians dead close to aid collection points since May. 'We have a minimum set of requirements to be able to operate inside Gaza,' Ross Smith, the director of emergencies at the UN World Food Program, told Reuters. 'One of the most important things I want to emphasize is that we need to have no armed actors near our distribution points, near our convoys.' Zionist UN Ambassador Danny Danon told the Security Council on Wednesday that the Zionist entity will now grant only one-month visas to international staff from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The Zionist entity has since killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians in Gaza, reduced most of the territory to ruins and forced nearly the entire population to flee their homes multiple times. US Middle East peace envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to hold new ceasefire talks, travelling to Europe this week for meetings on the Gaza war and a range of other issues, a US official said on Tuesday. Zionist President Isaac Herzog told soldiers during a visit to Gaza on Wednesday that 'intensive negotiations' about returning captives held there were underway and he hoped that they would soon 'hear good news', according to a statement. A senior Palestinian official told Reuters Hamas might give mediators a response to the latest proposals in Doha later on Wednesday, on the condition that amendments be made to two major sticking points: Details on a Zionist military withdrawal, and on how to distribute aid during a truce. Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet includes far-right parties that oppose any agreement that ends without the total destruction of Hamas. 'The second I spot weakness in the prime minister and if I come to think, heaven forbid, that this is about to end with us surrendering instead of with Hamas's absolute surrender, I won't remain (in the government) for even a single day,' Finance Minister Belalel Smotrich told Army Radio. – Agencies
Arab Times
3 days ago
- Arab Times
Kuwait advances healthcare with global expertise and cutting-edge technology
KUWAIT CITY, July 24: Kuwait is pressing ahead with a wide-ranging transformation of its healthcare sector, with a focus on adopting global medical expertise, enhancing emergency response systems, and expanding digital and preventive care services, according to Ministry of Health Spokesperson Dr. Abdullah Al-Sanad. Speaking at a press conference hosted by the Government Communication Center, Dr. Al-Sanad outlined the ministry's efforts to elevate Kuwait's healthcare standards through a multi-faceted approach that includes specialized infrastructure, international collaboration, and a strong push for digitalization. At the core of this strategy is the establishment of specialized medical zones across Kuwait. Among the most significant projects is the new Al-Adan Hospital, comprising nine interconnected buildings aimed at delivering comprehensive services to citizens in the surrounding area. Similar integrated health zones have been established in Al-Ahmadi and Al-Sabah, designed to provide secondary and specialized care within easy geographic reach. New facilities such as the Mutlaa Emergency Center, Infectious Diseases Hospital, and Kuwait Cancer Control Center are also being launched, while the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department has been relocated from Al-Adan Hospital to the Maternity and Childhood Hospital, improving focus and care delivery. Among the notable advancements is the First Responder Project, introduced earlier this month. The initiative features 28 mobile medical units dedicated to delivering rapid response care in emergencies. In its inaugural week, the units responded to 70 cases, demonstrating their potential to strengthen Kuwait's emergency care framework. In a similar vein, the ministry has installed 20 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) at Kuwait International Airport to improve outcomes for cardiac arrest victims. To ensure proper use, specialized training has been launched for airport staff in cooperation with relevant authorities. To strengthen domestic medical capacity, the ministry has hosted 140 visiting doctors from around the world, offering advanced treatments and knowledge exchange with Kuwaiti healthcare providers. This initiative is part of a broader effort to integrate international standards into Kuwait's medical system while training national cadres. In diagnostic services, a newly inaugurated MRI wing at Al-Razi Hospital has doubled both imaging equipment and patient throughput. Simultaneously, a new border medical center in Nuwaiseeb, along with 13 health centers across all Kuwaiti border crossings, have been launched to ensure accessible care for travelers and residents at key entry points. Kuwaiti emergency departments recorded 200,000 cases in January alone, reflecting the scale of services provided nationwide. Across the country, there are 117 primary healthcare centers, 30% of which operate 24/7. Additional facilities include 38 maternity clinics, 72 mental health clinics, 35 preventive health centers, 20 ophthalmology clinics, and 18 ENT clinics. In the first half of 2025, 86,860 emergency cases were handled, with 72,236 patients transported via ambulance. These included over 50,000 urgent and nearly 22,000 non-urgent cases, along with 5,068 traffic accident responses, 420 airlifts, and 35 medical evacuations. Dr. Al-Sanad noted a decline in road accidents following the implementation of the new traffic law in May, with 357 fewer reports over two months. The ministry is also accelerating its digital transformation. Through the 'Sahel' application, 23 health services have been made available, with 338,844 users benefiting during the first half of the year. Since October 2023, 3.9 million electronic patient visits have been recorded. This transition has eased pressure on health centers, reducing visits from 15.5 million in 2022 to 13.2 million in 2024. Preventive health services are expanding as well. Early breast cancer screening saw 4,275 applicants in the first half of 2025, up from 1,114 in 2023 and 8,141 in 2024, for a total of 13,530 screenings to date. Meanwhile, 872 bedridden patients have received care through the ministry's home visit program, with plans underway to launch similar services tailored to children. In conclusion, Dr. Al-Sanad emphasized the ministry's ongoing commitment to comprehensive and forward-looking healthcare reform. Through strategic partnerships, smart infrastructure, and digital innovation, Kuwait is steadily building a more responsive and inclusive national health system.
Arab Times
4 days ago
- Arab Times
Vicious Assault on Two Doctors in Kuwait
KUWAIT CITY, July 23: The legal representative of the Kuwait Medical Association, Attorney Elaf Al-Saleh, has strongly condemned the assault on two doctors by an individual as they were leaving their workplace after completing their duties. Al-Saleh described the attack as a flagrant violation of both legal and moral standards, emphasizing that it constitutes a full-fledged crime under Kuwaiti law. She stressed that such acts not only harm the doctors involved but also undermine the integrity and dignity of the healthcare sector as a whole. 'This assault is a direct affront to the principles of professional and workplace security, and stands in stark contrast to the ethical and humanitarian values that define any civilized society,' she said. Highlighting the gravity of the incident, Al-Saleh noted that what makes the attack even more egregious is that it targeted medical professionals who were simply fulfilling their sacred duty to save lives and relieve human suffering. She confirmed that all necessary legal actions—both criminal and civil—have been initiated against the perpetrator.
