ShareKUWAIT: Health Minister Dr Jamal Al-Harbi strongly denied social media reports claiming that his decision to increase health service fees for expatriates was going to be reversed, noting that the decision has saved the state around 40 percent of medical expenses, solved the problem of overcrowding in public hospitals, and accelerated medicine and hospital beds' provision. Meanwhile, Harbi said that he has authorized hospital managers and heads of medical centers to exempt urgent expat cases from the fees, namely patients with heart diseases and those whose condition requires intensive care.
Supply good
The Finance Ministry yesterday sent a letter to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry inquiring about the latter's request to facilitate the payment of KD 9.5 million to Kuwait Supplies Company. In its response, the commerce ministry explained that the money is owed to the company for its services in selling supply goods to citizens. Also, according to ministerial decision number 378/2015, the company is entitled to seven percent of the cost of the supply goods it sells, in addition to five percent of the cost of supplying construction materials. Kuwait Supplies Company is wholly owned by the government and was established to provide supply goods to citizens flexibly and to avoid bureaucracy.
Recruitment suspended
The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs suspended recruitment in various sectors and departments until the end of this week, saying that the decision gives ministry officials time to organize and attempt to create openings for new recruits. The ministry has not yet solved the problem of appointing over 1,500 new female employees nominated by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) two months earlier. A suggestion made to appoint the new female employees in women praying places was rejected, and thus, the ministry had to suspend recruitment until mid-December pending setting a new recruitment system. The decision has created a state of anger and dissatisfaction among the new employees and their families.
By A Saleh
