Kuwait’s Health Ministry has introduced new regulations aimed at tightening control over cosmetic procedures and the handling of narcotic medicines. The measures, announced by Health Minister Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi, cover a broad range of requirements intended to enhance patient safety and improve oversight in both public and private healthcare sectors.
Under the updated rules, only certain medical specialties are authorized to perform cosmetic surgeries and procedures. Physicians must meet specified qualification criteria, and nursing staff who operate laser equipment are required to undergo accredited training and work under specialist supervision. The ministry also mandated psychological assessments for some patients before proceeding with cosmetic treatments. In addition, protocols have been established for managing, documenting, and reporting any complications arising from such procedures.
Alongside these regulations, three decisions were issued addressing the use of medicines containing narcotic or psychotropic substances. These include guidelines for storage, dispensing, tracking, and reporting of these medications. Special provisions were made for their use on Kuwaiti-registered international aircraft and vessels. The cultivation of narcotic plants is now restricted to licensed government entities and approved research institutions, with strict security and monitoring measures in place to ensure these activities are confined to authorized medical and scientific purposes.
In a separate initiative, the ministry established an epidemiology and cancer registry department within the Kuwait Cancer Center. The new department is tasked with creating a comprehensive national cancer database that tracks cancer incidence, mortality, and survival rates across the country. It will produce annual reports to support health research and planning efforts. The registry’s data will be integrated with relevant national health systems and linked to international organizations. Furthermore, statistics will be accessible via an interactive online dashboard to enhance transparency and information sharing.
These actions reflect Kuwait’s ongoing efforts to reinforce regulatory frameworks in healthcare, promoting safer medical practices and improving disease monitoring capabilities.