The department of surgery at the college  of Medicine / University of Basrah, under the supervision of the President of the University of Basra, Prof. Dr. Saad Shaheen Hammadi, and in the presence of the Dean of the College of Medicine, Prof. Dr. Murtadha Mohammed Saleh Al-Musafer, and in cooperation with Abbott Company, held a scientific symposium. Assistant Professor Dr. Salah Kazim Muslim gave two lectures on the latest scientific developments in the field of therapeutic nutrition for patients lying in hospitals. Emphasis was placed on patients who need surgical intervention and how to reduce the complications that can affect them before, during or after the operation.The seminar included discussions on ways to develop the capabilities of the Department of Health, in cooperation with the college of Medicine, through the training of scientific staff that can evaluate the degree of nutrition of the sick patient and detect any defect in him before performing surgical intervention and thus making surgery  safer with the least possible complications. The seminar was held at the Farahidi Hall of the Grand Millennium Hotel