KUWAIT: Health Minister Dr Jamal Al-Harbi approved the patients' rights protection charter, which includes 12 articles. The new charter states that all medical facility staff will be committed to observing patients' rights based on the fact that a patient is a full-fledged trustworthy person fully responsible for his/her physical safety, has the right to receive medical care and to be treated respectfully by all healthcare providers.

The charter also entitles patients to get full explanation about diagnoses and treatment, while protecting the privacy of their medical information. They should also be informed about possible dangers or consequences and alternatives. The charter also mandates doctors to ensure that patients or their legal representatives have received full answers to all inquiries about their health condition.

The charter also commits a health facility to provide the care needed to maintain patients' physical and psychological safety and protect them from all dangers. It also bans subjecting patients to experimental remedies or medical research without clear written consent from them or from their legal representatives. In addition, the charter defined a medical facility as public hospitals, health centers and clinics subject to the Ministry of Health or private sector ones supervised by the ministry

Explosives

Director General of the Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW) Bader Al-Woqyan announced the Interior Ministry's approval to use explosives at some rocky construction sites as requested by the executing construction company. Woqyan added that explosions would be done and supervised by elements from the Interior Ministry and the explosives would be stored under full Interior Ministry supervision. Woqyan said the company executing the south Mutlaa project had received special machinery it had imported after paying KD 60 million as bank warranty. He also noted that the Public Authority for Manpower was contacted to increase the laborers working on the project by 500 weekly.

By A Saleh