Minister names replacements for sacked, suspended officials
Emergency units received over 10,000 cases due to rainfall
KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works Hosam Al-Roumi yesterday assigned Soha Ashkanani to replace the former chairman of the Public Authority for Roads and Transportation (PART) Ahmad AlHassan, who was sacked on Tuesday. Roumi also assigned Abdul Aziz Al-Sabah as assistant undersecretary for maintenance engineering affairs and Waleed AlGhanem as assistant undersecretary for hygiene engineering affairs, replacing the suspended Mohammed bin Nakhi and Abdul Mohsen Al-Enezi respectively. Meanwhile, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) officially referred former Ministry of Public Works (MPW) undersecretary Awatif Al-Ghunaim to retirement. Tension between MPW and PART has accelerated over the recent rain crisis, said informed sources, noting that Roumi cancelled a press conference for Hassan because the official was no longer an MPW employee after he was relieved from his duties because of the flooding and his departure to the US to attend a meeting in Nevada.
Nevertheless, Hassan held the conference at a private office in South Surra, noting that he had to leave because of an obligation to attend a meeting in the US. He also stressed that Roumi cancelled his trip, and thus he traveled at his own expense using urgent leave without receiving any funds from MPW. Hassan also stressed that the authority’s departments managed to handle the recent heavy rain.
10,000 cases
Meanwhile, Health Minister Sheikh Dr Basel Al-Sabah announced that emergency units at Kuwaiti hospitals had received 10,038 patients on Tuesday in the wake of the unstable weather. Over 336 patients visited the emergency units to complete treatment and 23 critical cases to be put on ventilators, he said. He pointed out that the ministry had effectively enforced the emergency plan in coordination with other ministries and government bodies. He lauded the contributions of all staff members to the emergency plan.
In the meantime, Kuwait General Administration of Customs (KGAC) said that the movement of people and goods at Kuwait crossings was not affected by the rain. It added that action at the crossings was practiced typically. Customs staff at crossings, in collaboration with all governmental bodies, managed to remove water accumulated by heavy rains, general manager of KGAC Jamal Al-Jalawi stressed in a press statement. He said that some main sites and buildings in Shuwaikh were affected by the accumulated water. Jalawi commended distinguished cooperation amongst all state bodies that contributed to tackling most of the problems caused by the heavy rains that hit the country at dawn of Tuesday.
National accreditation
Sabah and Ibn Sina Hospitals were awarded full national accreditation for the quality of medical services they provide. In this regard, Sabah Hospital Manager Dr Abdul Rahman Al-Enezi said the hospital was awarded the full national accreditation after passing all safety standards tests. Ibn Sina Hospital Manager Dr Mohammed Owaidhah Al-Ajmi stressed the accreditation came as a result of the hospital staff’s efforts including heads of departments, doctors, nurses, technicians, administrative staff and the hospital quality improvement and technical support teams.
Short circuit
The Ministry of Education (MoE) announced that a short circuit took place at a girls’ religious institute in Jaber Al-Ahmad, which resulted in heavy smoke. The institute had to be evacuated and the girls were driven home safely. No casualties were reported. Separately, a gang consisting of Arab and Asian nationals was arrested for stealing electric cables and making illegal connections in return for bribes, said security sources, noting that stolen items worth thousands were retrieved.