Health Assurance Hospitals Company denies connection to 'long queues' footage

KUWAIT: People donate blood at the Central Blood Bank in this file photo. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Director of the Department of Blood Transfusion Services at the Ministry of Health (MoH) Dr Reem Al-Radwan said that there is a lack of citizens and residents donating blood, stressing they need more blood donators. Radwan said in a press statement carried by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) yesterday that bad weather caused the cancellation of some blood donation campaigns, pointing out that the blood supply is still 'good' but to avoid any shortage, donations are required for operations and helping cancer patients. Work continues in the Central Blood Bank at Jabriya on Sunday to Thursday 7 am to 9 pm, Friday 1 pm to 7 pm and Saturday at 7 am to 7 pm. Blood donation continues in Al-Adan Hospital, Jahraa Hospital, National Guard Branch, Hamad Al-Humaidhi Center, Sheikha Al-Siraoui Shuwaikh, Al-Abdalrazak Hospital Branch at 8:00 am to 1:00 pm and Al-Adan Hospital Branch from Sunday to Thursday at 8 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 8 pm.

Long queues

The Health Assurance Hospitals Company (Dhaman) announced there was a misunderstanding concerning the long queues at health insurance centers, noting that those centers are not affiliated with it. The company was commenting on footage circulated over social media showing people lined up outside a building, waiting to enter to renew their health insurance documents. Dhaman said its automated health insurance collection systems are safe and more accurate as they are directly connected to the health insurance documentation system.

Informed sources said Dhaman has already held preparations to launch its first primary healthcare clinics to serve expats working for the private sector and their families according to a special operation plan scheduled to start this year. Notably, the recent heavy rain stalled work in various health insurance centers after the Ministry of Health (MoH) decided to suspend cash payment and only use electronic revenue stamps, which led to delaying transactions and creating long queues, as it takes 9-13 minutes per transaction using the e-stamps compared to only 30 seconds using cash.

Victim's family

Head of Al-Najat Charity Society's bank department Jamal Nasser Al-Shatti extended his heartiest condolences to the family of Ahmad Al-Fadhli, who was killed during the recent flooding, and announced that the society will take care of the martyr's family and pay their rent for a whole year.

Verdict upheld

The court of cassation yesterday upheld a court of appeal verdict indicting a citizen for joining the Islamic State (IS) and attempting to bomb the Zainul Abedeen Mosque and a security facility in Salmiya. The court of appeal had reduced the sentence by the first instance court to imprison the 19-year-old citizen for seven years to five years.

KD 7 million

The Ministry of Interior (MoI) urged various ministries to pay around KD 7 million in indirect traffic citations filed against drivers using vehicles registered with the ministries' names, before they get outdated and are removed from service. MoI also urged the finance ministry to deduct the fines due on each ministry from its budget, which was rejected by the finance ministry.

By A Saleh and Meshaal Al-Enezi