KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health prepared a report that includes a comprehensive evaluation of the decision to increase health fees on expatriates, and the extent of its pros and cons. The ministry will make its decision based on this evaluation on whether to continue with the increases that were enforced in October 2017 or not, said sources familiar with the issue.

The report has shown that the decision to increase fees contributed to enhancing services for both citizen and expat, and gave doctors better time to attend to their patients, while the number of patients dropped by at least 30 percent per day, particularly at policlinics.

Based on these results, the ministry is not likely to revert the fees to the previous rates, unless a future study suggests that it has negatively affected its efforts to provide proper medical services. Health Minister Dr Basel Al-Sabah had stated earlier that the decision to increase the fees is under review, and if any harm is found, it will be either revoked or adjusted.

By A Saleh