Minister of Health Issues Decision on Regulating Obesity Surgeries and Non-Surgical Interventional Procedures

Today, Tuesday, Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Abdulwahab Al-Awadi issued a ministerial decision regarding the regulation of obesity surgeries and non-surgical interventional procedures in both the public and private sectors.

The decision included specific criteria for performing obesity surgeries, including a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35, or a BMI between 30 and 34.9 with at least one obesity-related comorbid condition.

The decision also regulated obesity surgeries for children and adolescents aged 12 to 17 for selected cases according to specific criteria, following evaluation and approval by a multidisciplinary team (MDT), and with informed written consent from parents or legal guardians.

Daily Newspapers

Cultural and Social Articles

The decision organized non-surgical obesity procedures, including Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) and Intragastric Balloon (IGB), according to specific requirements, and prohibited their performance for individuals under 18 years of age.

Furthermore, the decision established strict controls for revisional and malabsorptive surgeries, requiring documented approval from a multidisciplinary team, and stipulating that malabsorptive procedures should not be performed as a primary intervention.

The decision mandated the public and private sectors to immediately report serious complications and deaths through specified channels, and to enhance the monitoring of the quality and safety of practice.

The decision also included the establishment of a national registry for obesity surgeries, encompassing all cases, outcomes, and complications, thereby strengthening the continuous monitoring and evaluation of healthcare quality.