Valuable addition for kidney cure

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 16: Some charitable works remain a testament of their benefactors even after their passing and healthcare facilities are among such works. This is exemplified by the story of the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Kidney Dialysis Center in Ahmadi Health District, which was inaugurated last week, thanks to the generous donation of the heirs of HH the late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. The center is a valuable addition to the kidney patient treatment system in Kuwait and conveys a humanitarian message that extends far beyond the walls and medical equipment in the building. Once fully operational, the center will cater to about 500 hemodialysis patients and 100 peritoneal dialysis patients. The opening of this new center is a continuation of the contributions of the family of Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad to the healthcare sector.

The heirs of HH late Amir previously donated a kidney dialysis center to Al-Jahra Hospital during the tenure of former Minister of Health Mohammad Barak Al-Haifiin 2013. In April 2013, the Jaber Al-Ahmad Kidney Dialysis Center was inaugurated at Al-Jahra Hospital, and at the time, it was one of the largest kidney dialysis centers affiliated with the Ministry of Health. A representative of HH the late Amir’s heirs confirmed that the center was established to provide some of the healthcare services needed by the community and to assist those requiring this type of treatment. Dialysis was chosen as the focus of the donation, because patients requiring dialysis need frequent and continuous treatment. More than 13 years later, the name of Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad is being revived with a new healthcare project in Ahmadi, but on a larger scale and with greater capacity. The new Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Center in East Ahmadi includes 83 dialysis units, 11 of which are isolation rooms, in addition to four peritoneal dialysis rooms, a biochemistry laboratory, blood collection rooms, and rooms for procedures, emergencies, patient examinations and preparation. It also houses a central pharmacy, nutrition clinics, social services, administrative facilities and support services. It is situated on land measuring 2,650 square meters, while the total building area is 10,250 square meters. It consists of a basement, a ground floor and three upper floors.

The importance of the center is underscored by the dire need in Ahmadi Health District, where 519 patients are currently benefiting from dialysis services, including 449 hemodialysis patients. A patient entering the dialysis center does not visit a healthcare facility once and then leave as he must commit to repeated treatment sessions, making the center an integral part of his daily or weekly life. Every dialysis machine, every bed and every treatment room can mean fewer hours of waiting for the patient, a shorter distance to reach treatment, and greater comfort for him and his family. During the inauguration of the center, Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi emphasized the concept of accessibility to healthcare services, clarifying that the quality of care is not dependent on the availability of treatment, but also on the ability of the patient to access it at the right time and place.

The new center is part of the plan of the Health Ministry to develop kidney services in the region and it is the culmination of the gradual expansion that started with the Mohammad Al-Khuzam Dialysis Center at Al-Adan Hospital, which opened in 2009 and currently serves around 460 dialysis patients. In May 2024, the ministry opened a dialysis unit at the Ali Sabah Al-Salem Center, with a capacity of 10 beds and it is currently serving 17 hemodialysis patients. In July 2024, the ministry opened a dialysis unit at the Sabah Al-Ahmad Center-Sector E, with a capacity of 20 beds and it is currently serving 32 hemodialysis patients.

In February 2026, a dialysis unit at the new Maternity and Child Hospital opened. It is equipped with 12 beds and it is currently serving 10 female hemodialysis patients. Speaking at the opening of the new center, Sheikh Fahad Al-Jaber, representative of the donor, stated that the center embodies the values of compassion and humanity, and is a means of seeking reward from God. He asserted that one of the most beautiful acts of charity is for a person to contribute to alleviating the suffering of another and instilling hope in his heart.

One of the most prominent examples of similar charitable initiatives is the Hamad Abdullah Al-Saqer Specialized Health Center in Adailiya, which opened in 2000 through the donation of Abdulaziz Hamad Al-Saqer and his brother Jassim Hamad Al-Saqer at a cost KD2 million at the time. The center offers a wide range of services, including general medicine, pediatrics, diabetes, emergency care, radiology, laboratories, dentistry, preventive health, ENT, surgery, orthopedics, school health and an oncology clinic.

By Marwa Al-Bahrawi Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff