Ref: Apa khabar TKI di Kuwait? http://news.kuwaittimes.net/2013/05/25/separating-citizens-expats-clinic-timing-organization-or-discrimination/
Separating citizens, expats clinic timing – Organization or discrimination! KUWAIT: The health minister’s decision to limit providing morning medical services to citizens only at various outpatients clinics and allocating the evening period for expats starting June 1, has had its impact on the public opinion as people were divided between supporters and objectors. Commenting on the decision, the manager of Kuwait Society for Human Rights, lawyer, Mohammed Al-Humaidi told the BBC that it was against all human rights, the Kuwaiti constitution and the entire international anti discrimination treaties. Some people condemned the decision noting that it was a clear manifestation of discrimination between citizens and expatriates. On the other hand, others believed it would be a step forward towards improving the health services provided in public hospitals through reducing pressure on medical and technical staffs which had been undergoing due to overcrowding, especially at Jahra Hospital. Some citizens argued that the best solution would be by building another hospital in Jahra or by imposing health insurance on citizens, as well. Interviewing some patients at the Jahra Hospital, Fahad Al-Muttairi said that the separation would help reduce waiting times before patients could be seen by doctors or undergo certain tests or even operations. “However, this solution is only temporary. What we really need is to build an alternative hospital in Jahra or impose health insurance on citizens”, he stressed. Um Abdullah, a citizen, hailed the decision noting that it would help organize work in the hospital and that she was sure doctors would do their best on both shifts. “I’m sure Jahra hospital management will provide the best services around the clock”, she said. Citizen Mariam, said that the experiment would succeed in reducing crowds by half on both shifts. She also believed that afternoon clinics were best for expatriates because they all have to go to work in the morning. “As for us citizens, and even though we have morning jobs, but we can take leaves to go to hospitals and rest in the afternoon”, she said. Bo Nasser described the decision as a ‘right one’ and hoped it could be extended to include all public hospitals in Kuwait. “It will help organize things until special hospitals were built for various communities……..the afternoon period used to be allocated for citizens in the past…….nothing is changed except the timing”, he underlined. On the other hand, citizen Musaed Al-Thafeiri condemned the decision noting that it would be a clear embodiment of racial discrimination. “People are all equal before Allah….the decision will serve neither citizens nor expatriates”, he stressed urging MOH officials to remember that diseases cannot tell the deference between citizens and expatriates. More moderately, and though he applauds the decision, citizen Faisal Ibrahim stressed that need to exempt human and urgent cases from the timing separation. Conservatively speaking, expatriate Sayyed Rezq stressed that he was for providing good health care regardless of the timing or nationality. However, expatriate Shah Islam was more decisive and stressed that the decision has to be reconsidered. “We all live in the same place. Categorizing patients is forbidden in any religion.. We all work in and serve Kuwait, we spend our lives here….is this what we get for it? This discrimination is Haram?”, he cried out. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
