By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: The joint committee of the Public Authority of Manpower (PAM), Medicine Inspection Department and Medical Licensing Department of the Ministry of Health, and the Residency Affairs Department of the Ministry of Interior raided some clinics in Hawally governorate, where they found various serious violations. These include practicing work without license, unauthorized staff working at the clinic, and selling expired medical materials.

The inspectors of this joint committee discovered an unlicensed clinic operating in a medical center in Salmiya. According to a statement by both PAM and MoH, the Asian staff working in this clinic are not certified doctors or medical technicians. The joint inspectors found numerous domestic workers practicing nursing. PAM said the main violation was breaching article 10 of the labor law for the private sector. Also, they found one of the doctors at the clinic was practicing her job with an expired license and work permit for over a year.

Dr Fahad Al-Mourad, Acting Deputy General Director of the Protection Department of PAM, noted PAM's inspectors are conducting raids at various medical clinics, with the joint committee focusing on dermatology and plastic surgery clinics, especially since the number of violations there are very high.

After inspecting the place, the inspectors found the unlicensed clinic was providing medical services (dermatology and beauty) without a license. The inspectors also found a huge amount of medications, food supplements and cosmetics that were either expired or unregistered at the ministry of health, and of an unknown source. They also seized Botox and expired filler injections.

The Medicine Inspection Department of MoH frequently holds inspections in cooperation with the authorities in charge of places that sell medications, pharmaceutical products and herbs. The inspectors seized some counterfeit and smuggled materials, in addition to other violations of law no. 28/1996 on practicing the pharmaceutical profession and dealing with drugs. MoH appreciates the initiative of people in reporting any violation in this field.

Legal action will be taken against violators and the clinic was shut down. The inspectors said the clinic was being managed by an Arab expat after the Kuwait owner suffered a stroke more than a year ago.