KUWAIT: The
Ministry of Health (MOH) obtained monitoring bodies' approval to extend the
contracts of some expats working at Sabah, Farwaniya and Jahra medical zones
for varied periods at a total cost of KD 2.6 million, well-informed ministry
sources said. The sources explained that the contracts of medical services
employees in Sabah zone were extended for nine months effective Jan 5, 2019 at
a total cost of KD 1.9 million. The sources added that the contracts of a
similar group of technical staff members in Farwaniya and Jahra medical areas
were extended for three months effective Feb 5, 2019 at a total cost of KD
757,000.

In another health
concern, MOH's assistant undersecretary for legal affairs Mohammed Dowaihi
Al-Subaei said that the ministry issued 52,725 birth certificates in 2018
including 30,954 for citizens and 21,771 for expats, in addition to 3,933 death
certificates for citizens and expats. Subaei added that birth rates slightly
decreased in 2018 compared to 2017, when total births were 60,022. He also
noted that MOH issued 1,650 birth certificates and 134 death certificates to
stateless people in 2018. He added that due to the fact that the maternity
hospital at Sabah medical zone witnesses around 40 percent of births in Kuwait,
a new birth and death center will open there soon.

Murder suspects
sentenced

The court of
cassation annulled a death sentence and sentenced two suspects to 10 years in
jail over charges of killing a citizen in a shopping mall in Hawally. Notably,
a fight had started between two citizens and a group of five including the two
suspects, when the first suspect stabbed one of the citizens in the chest,
killing him instantly, while the second suspect stabbed the other citizen in
the shoulder, injuring him.

By A Saleh