The Ministry of Health (MOH) has announced some changes in regard to the treatment delivery applicable to public hospitals. The change denotes that expats will not be allowed to be given treatment in public hospitals within the next three years or less, as shared in a report by the Kuwait Times.
ALSO READ: Kuwait’s Ministry of Health Aims to Hire Over 2000 Expat Medical Personnel
In line with this, the ministry has also rejected demands and proposals to exempt some expats from increased health fees, which had been earlier proposed to apply only to domestic helpers, children of Kuwaiti women, as well as GCC nationals.
Expats to be Denied Access to Public Hospitals in Kuwait
In a meeting regarding the proposed changes affecting the ministry, a number of lawyers had rallied against the exemption of expats from the increase in health fees, which include health ministry staff among others, noting that a large majority of expat groups still weigh on the burden shouldered by public hospitals in the country. This also poses difficulties in providing citizens proper medical services on time.
Among the agenda discussed, lawmakers noted that the health ministry explained that the treatment of expats in public hospitals will be phased out soon enough, but that it’s too early to carry out such measures concerning a wide majority of the population in the country. The ministry also noted that (private) health insurance hospitals have not been properly established in the country as of yet.
Moreover, private hospitals do not have the necessary equipment and facilities to manage the care for all expats in Kuwait, the ministry noted.
What seems to be the correct appropriation of services for Kuwaiti nationals will cause a bad hit to the expat sector which has contributed significantly in the growth and development of Kuwait’s economy for several decades already. While the government’s move is based out of prioritization, the health ministry has hit an important point as to the process in the health sector which will cover the treatment of foreign nationals, which must be heavily considered by the government first before carrying out the new changes in this important sector in the country.