90 pct men, women fail pre-nuptial test

Genetic disorders detected

KUWAIT CITY, March 3: The PreMarriage Medical Examination Center has asked 90.7 percent of 1,295 men and women planning to get married not to press ahead with their wedding plans because they tested positive for various genetic disorders like thalassemia and acute anemia but 9.3 percent of them insisted on starting a family of their own despite the health risks involved, reports Al-Seyassah daily quoting Director of the Social Health Department at the Ministry of Health Dr Yaqoub Al-Kandari.

According to AlKandari, the center has, so far, succeeded in achieving its goals since the implementation of law number 31/2008, which requires soon-to-be married couples to undergo different tests to ascertain that they will not pass on genetic disorders to their children. He said this is part of the steps taken by the ministry to prevent genetically-transmitted diseases and disabilities.

Quoting the latest statistical report released by the center, Al-Kandari revealed a total of 26,467 men and women visited the center for pre-marriage medical tests in 2012. Kuwaitis constitute 90.2 percent of the total number of visitors last year, 9.8 percent non-Kuwait is, .75 percent unmarried, 4.6 percent married, 19.2 percent divorcees and 0.5 percent widows. Test results showed that 715 are infected with thalassemia, 564 have acute anemia and 11 have both diseases, he added.

In an unrelated development, the Health Committee at the Parliament will soon submit a draft bill to merge all overseas treatment panels in order to eliminate the use of ‘wasta’ (influence) or preferential treatment in the processing of applications, reports Al-Shahed daily quoting sources.

Sources said the committee decided to present the proposal after the Ministry of Health ignored its instructions on the unification of the panels; hence, the need to pass a law in this regard.