KUWAIT: A Health
Ministry official warned against using herbs for treating of diseases without
consulting a specialist doctor, as a company was found selling herbs on social
media claiming it cures all types of cancer, respiratory diseases, prostate
cancer, polycystic ovary syndrome, viruses and others. Assistant Undersecretary
for Medical and Food Control Affairs Abdullah Munjid

Al-Bader said
there are no clinical studies proving claims of this company, besides the
dangerous side-effects of some of these herbs on the heart and central nervous
system. They are also unsuitable for those with hypertension, as they may
increase pressure on the heart and threaten the patient's life. He said the
company was referred to the prosecution to face legal action for making medical
claims and promote unlicensed plant products in violation of the law.

Earthquake-resistant

In other news,
Chairman of the Capital committee at the Municipal Council Hassan Kamal
presented several questions about earthquake-resistant building designs. He
said the executive branch at the Municipality is preparing the fourth
structural plan of the state and allocating sites for the state's future projects
with its various uses. He said over the past decades, many tremors were
detected in Kuwait as a result of earthquakes that took place in neighboring
countries.

Kamal said Kuwait
is expected to witness a construction boom during the next two decades, which
requires Kuwait Municipality and other departments to be technically ready and
prepare specifications related to this development that conform to Kuwait's New
Vision 2035. He inquired about the municipality's current procedures for
earthquake-resistant building designs, and whether the municipality has
conducted studies on tremors and quakes and their effect on buildings in
Kuwait. He also asked about the municipality's technical preparations for
designing buildings and infrastructure that is resistant to tremors and quakes.

Proposals'
discussion

Meanwhile, the
technical committee at the Municipal Council will hold its first meeting of the
second term tomorrow and will discuss the proposal of the council's chairman to
allocate stations for touristic transport, and a proposal from member Maha
Al-Baghli to ban the use of water balloons and water guns during national
celebrations.

The committee
will discuss a question from member Mohammad Al-Raqeeb with regards to amending
some decisions of the council with regards to co-ops, and a proposal by member
Abdullah Al-Roumi to increase the punishment for violating buildings that rent
basements within residential areas, which are licensed to be car parking
places.

By Meshaal
Al-Enezi