The meningitis scare across Kuwait is removed by the Ministry of Health efforts, as a senior government official announced. He commented “The few cases that were admitted to local public hospitals have been cured”. Mustafa Al-Shamali, Minister of Health said in statements made to Al-Shahed “Kuwait is free from meningitis, and all rumors about widespread infection are fabricated”. Dr. Qais Al-Duwairi, MoH Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health Affairs revealed that in all Kuwait‘s public medical facilities only 5 neisseria meningitis cases which are not epidemic were detected. Also he added that it’s believed by more than 20,000 people that they contacted with the five infected cases.

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Alchemist Healthcare, a UAE-based investment company agreed to fully manage and operate one of the oldest and most reputable diagnostic and laboratory centers in Kuwait. Al Masah Capital Limited an alternative asset management company operates Alchemist Healthcare which is part of Healthcare MENA Limited, a regional healthcare operator. Shailesh Dash, Al Masah Capital “Adding this center to our healthcare platform benefits us both on our geographic expansion after we solidified our presence in the UAE, and by diversifying our healthcare services by tapping into the high growth laboratory and diagnostic sector”.

It’s noticeable that Kuwait is among the top 10 healthcare spenders in the MENA region. Amitava Ghosal, partner at Al Masah Capital Limited, and board member of Alchemist Healthcare said “The centre has a strong brand loyalty in Kuwait, and we intend to increase the range of our services in the diagnostic space through tie-ups with international players”. The Kuwaiti government supports around 76% of the healthcare spending in Kuwait.

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Annahar daily reported that a new procedure will be followed by The Insurance Committee in the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Kuwait. This new method will allow the ministry to pay compensation to Kuwaitis who can prove that they were victims of medical errors. But the amount of compensation won’t be paid unless the court confirms the damage and decides. Reliable sources said “The ministry will have to get doctors insured and will have to pay KD 120 annually per doctor to the insurance company. The company in turn will pay compensation to citizens who win cases against the ministry”.

Minister Dr Hilal Al-Sayer submitted three decisions on Thursday. In the first, he appointed head of Health Sector at Ports and Borders Department Dr Hameed Gallium as attaché at the Health Office in Paris. The second decision was on the appointment of Dr Abdullah Al-Wateeb as attaché at the Health Office in Washington. And in the third, he transferred the former director of Washington Health Office Dr Abdulrahman Al-Jowhar to the Ministry’s Diwan. Dec 1, 2011 is the date of these decisions’ activation.

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Al-Seyassah daily quoting sources announced the decision submitted by Dr Hilal Al-Sayer, Minister of Health in Kuwait to vaccinate all 15-year-old Kuwaiti girls against cervical cancer. Three doses of the vaccine will be offered to the Kuwaiti girls in the 10th grade in public and private schools within six months. The minister will be in Cairo on Saturday to attend the World Health Organization (WHO) meeting, as sources revealed.

The first conference for feeding infants and children will be held soon by the Nutrition and Feeding Administration at the ministry as announced on Wednesday. Also, Al-Watan Arabic daily reports about the meeting that held between an Indonesian delegation of health and education experts with Ahmad Al-Mulaifi, the Minister of Education and Higher Education discussing the provision of nursing services. Al-Mulaifi said “The delegation presented educational and health projects and both countries will cooperate to build and equip the clinics in public schools for all grades. In attendance were high ranking ministry officials and Indonesian ambassador to Kuwait”.

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Al-Qabas daily revealed that Dr Cameron Larry, Head of the Canadian medical team from McGill University in Canada and Assistant Director of the University Health Center has opposed the procedures in Kuwaiti hospitals, particularly the unsystematic scheduling of patients’ appointments. He said “The waiting period for patients is too long, in addition to the congestion in clinics, particularly in the morning”. Although he praised the quality of health services in Kuwait and the cooperation of his country and Kuwait in this field, he stressed the central administration system in Kuwaiti hospitals serves as obstacles to efforts to develop the health sector.

He mentioned that instead of located under one roof; most of the administrations are outside the hospitals. The Canadian university and the Chest Hospital in Kuwait signed a KD25 million agreement hoping to develop all health services in the country. Dr Larry added that Kuwait has many highly-qualified medical experts in addition to the modern health facilities and it’s necessary to raise the trust of citizens in local hospitals and clinics.

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The recent report by Wikileaks was rejected by the Chairperson of Kuwait Pharmacists Society Dr Tareq Habib as it says that expatriates in Kuwait don’t receive the appropriate medical care. Dr Habib explained that citizens and expatriates receive the best medical care and the country spends an average of KD 70 on medicine for citizens and expatriates.

He said “Taking into account the expatriates benefit from surgery, X-ray and other medical examinations with the KD 50 health fee, there’s no doubt the country provides adequate subsidy in health care delivery among the expatriate community. The Health Ministry spends more than 180 million dinars annually on medicine and medical equipment, urging the ministry must counter the allegation”.

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New groundbreaking neurology equipment has been installed at Dar Al Shifa Hospital, one of Kuwait’s leading private hospitals, as announced today. This machine will help to improve diagnosis of patients’ neurological evaluation. It performs Electroencephalography (EEG), Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS), and Electromyography (EMG). The Evoked Potential Tests which include Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER), Somato-Sensory Evoked Potential (SSEP) and Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) can also be applied with the machine.

Dar Al Shifa Hospital is considered the first facility to have such equipment and it’s the only place where the results besides patients’ clinical presentation can be explained. This machine will help in measuring the safety and function of the brain, nerves, muscles and neuromuscular junction and their disorders. Dr. Abdul-Aziz Ashkanani, Consultant Neurology and the Authorized spokesman for these machines at Dar Al Shifa Hospital said: “The advantage of having such equipment is that tests will be done for patients according to their convenience. This means that they will not have to wait for long, and will receive their results on the same day”.

EEG is used to measure brain waves and to provide specific evidence of how brain works daily. But EMG detects diseases that damage muscle tissue, nerves, or even the junctions between nerves and muscle. Also, NCS is used to detect damage to the peripheral nervous system, which includes all the nerves that lead away from the brain and spinal cord along with the smaller nerves that branch out from those nerves. Dr. Ashkanani added “We offer the latest in electro diagnostic testing with state-of-the-art equipment and perform diagnostic procedures from the routine nerve conduction studies and EMG to the more complex electro diagnostics that include neuromuscular junction testing and single fiber EMG“.

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A senior Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) official announced “The Ministry of Health (MoH) has reached an agreement with the Ministry over paying its backdated utilities bills”. Jassem Al-Lengawi, the MEW‘s Assistant Undersecretary for Consumer Affairs said in a statement issued to the press that officials in MoH are pleased to pay bills for all its facilities. Al-Lengawi explained that this agreement is considered a part of a policy of cooperation between all state bodies in order to ensure prompt payment for all services rendered.

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It’s important to have health insurance to receive extra security in health emergencies. Nowadays, Indians living in Kuwait can now benefit from a newly launched healthcare insurance program. OICL and the Al Mulla Group celebrate the Silver Jubilee of their successful partnership by releasing the OIC Medical Insurance Policy for individuals and families called ‘Insuring a Better future.’ Experts during the launch of the program at the Crown Plaza Hotel yesterday explained that all legal residents in Kuwait and their dependants are allowed to benefit from this program.

Anil Parasher, OICL‘s Resident Manager in Kuwait said “The insurance program also offers transferability, which allows continued insurance cover on returning to India. The policy is not renewed automatically; after one year the customer has to renew it. He is also able to change his premium on renewal. A medical checkup is compulsory if the person is aged above 50 years, or if they have any adverse medical history”.

Parasher mentioned that the new program includes three different healthcare coverage plans, adding “The sum insured depends on the scheme chosen by the customer, and ranges from KD 3,500 for the Silver, KD 5,000 for the Gold and KD 10,000 for the Platinum scheme. The program offers cashless treatment, and 24/7 customer service”. He explained “Both, outpatient and inpatient treatments are offered as part of the program in Kuwait, while in India this service is limited to only inpatients. It is noteworthy that there are over 4,000 healthcare providers selected to provide service under this program in India, and 40 more in Kuwait”.

Parasher stressed on the required benefits and value-added services of Indian community in Kuwait are provided by OIC Medical Insurance, in spite many medical insurance products are available on the Kuwait market. Parasher concluded “As well as offering affordable and competitive premiums and easy underwriting procedures, the continuation and transferability of the program’s cover even after the policy-owner returns home to India, as well as the ease of payment in installments through Bader Al Mulla & Brothers (OICL‘s Agents in Kuwait) makes this a highly attractive insurance program”.

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As a result of the death of 22 people and another 2,000 falling sick infected with E. coli, importing from the infected European states became prevented across the world. Although Kuwait is free from any infected cases, shoppers have certainly become more aware of the diseases that can be involved in lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes. As Germany was found to be the source of the disease, the safety of the vegetables is the main concern of grocery shoppers in Kuwait while buying them from local stores.

E. coli are bacterial germs which invade the intestinal tract of humans and other warm-blooded animals. It can make colonies in the sterile alimentary tract of newborn babies after two days from birth. The United States‘ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined more than 700 serotypes of E. coli. CDC revealed that at least 2,000 Americans are infected with E. coli each year, and about 60 die as a direct result of the infection and related complications.

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