KUWAIT CITY, Aug 31: Health Minister Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi has issued a series of decrees tightening controls on narcotic and psychotropic substances, overhauling cosmetic surgery rules, and creating new departments to speed up medical shipments and strengthen cancer surveillance. A new decree permits cultivation of narcotic plants only under a Health Ministry license, strictly for medical or scientific research and only for specified entities, Al-Seyassah reported.
It sets procedures for licensing, documentation, seed and plant preservation, movement tracking, site security and continuous monitoring, and requires periodic reports and coordinated handling of crop loss or damage. A second order regulates possession and dispensing of psychotropic substances on international aircraft and ships, specifying allowed quantities for first-aid and emergencies, defining custody responsibilities, restricting administration to licensed practitioners or first-aid staff, and setting rules for storage, dispensing, documentation and handling loss or breakage.
A third decree limits production and manufacture of medicines containing narcotic or psychotropic substances to licensed pharmaceutical factories, and regulates registration, storage, dispensing, inventory, tracking, reporting and inspections. Customs Follow-up and Coordination Department Dr. Al-Awadhi also established the “Customs Follow-up and Coordination Department” under the Health Ministry’s Undersecretary to expedite clearance of medical shipments and supplies through enhanced coordination with the General Administration of Customs and other regulators, and to maintain related databases and statistics.
Cosmetic surgery overhaul
In a separate decision, the minister amended regulations governing cosmetic surgeries and procedures in government and private sectors, specifying authorized medical specialties, required physician qualifications and experience, and the scope of procedures each specialty may perform. The order regulates laser use by nursing staff, requiring licensing, accredited training and specialist physician supervision, with pre-session examination, proper device settings and documented assessment and informed consent. It adopts updated procedure lists for plastic surgery, dermatology, ophthalmology, ENT, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and vascular surgery, with additional fellowship-level requirements for certain advanced procedures. Psychological assessment based on an accredited psychiatric report is now required before cosmetic surgery for patients showing psychological symptoms or disorders. The decision also sets mechanisms for managing complications, including followup, treatment, documentation and reporting responsibilities in both sectors
Cancer registry department
Another decision established an Epidemiology and Cancer Registry Department at the Kuwait Cancer Control Center to build a comprehensive national cancer database. The ministry said the move will improve monitoring, data quality and analysis of cancer incidence, mortality and survival, support prevention and treatment planning, and enable cooperation with the WHO and international cancer registry bodies, subject to ethical approvals and ministry regulations
