Victims who recently fell ill and died from consuming toxic alcohol in Kuwait have saved many lives by donating their organs. In that incident, 160 people fell ill and 23 people lost their lives.
According to information provided to Kuwaiti media by the Ministry of Health, 51 people required immediate kidney dialysis and 31 were placed on ventilators. In the course of taking action against the perpetrators of this incident, 67 people involved in the production and distribution of illegal alcohol have been arrested.
Dr. Mustafa Al-Musawi, head of Kuwait’s organ transplant center, told Kuwaiti state television KTV in an interview that 12 of the approximately 20 people admitted to the intensive care unit had been declared brain dead. The families of 10 of them agreed to donate their organs.
Doctors collected 20 kidneys, three hearts, four livers and two lungs from these 10 people, the Kuwait Times reported. All organs except the lungs were successfully transplanted.
Three heart transplants were successfully performed in the last five days. Livers were sent to Abu Dhabi for Kuwaiti patients as the liver transplant program was temporarily suspended. Heart and kidney transplants were also performed.
Doctors tested each organ for organ transplantation. Blood tests were used for the kidneys, enzyme and imaging tests for the liver, medical history evaluation for the heart, and bronchoscopy and scans for the lungs.
He said that using organs from deceased donors is a high priority and is considered a form of eternal charity.
23 people died and 160 were injured after migrant workers from various countries including Nepali, Indian, and Bangladeshi consumed toxic alcohol.
Following the incident, Kuwaiti security forces raided a major warehouse supplying toxic chemicals to illegal liquor factories. The General Criminal Investigation Department, represented by the Hawalli Investigation Department, seized the main warehouse in the Al-Rai area.
Kuwait’s Interior Ministry arrested 258 people for violating housing and labor laws during the campaign. Police arrested and deported those who were discharged from hospitals after falling ill after consuming toxic alcohol .
