Health minister refers suspicious hospital contract to Prosecution
Libel suit filed against personnel charged with squandering public funds
KUWAIT CITY, May 15, (KUNA): Minister of Health Sheikh Dr. Basel Al-Sabah declared on Tuesday submitting the file of suspicious irregularities in a contract involving the radiation and nuclear medicine wards at the government Al-Adan Hospital and a company to the general prosecution.
The minister is taking action as part of a libel suit against personnel charged with squandering public funds and breaching rights of the Ministry of Finance.
Sheikh Basel told KUNA the step was taken upon instructions by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak AlHamad Al-Sabah to deal firmly with any suspicious acts against the public funds and take all necessary measures to safeguard the state assets.
All those responsible for the violations will be brought to justice, regardless of their job positions, he said.
The ministry is currently re-examining many contracts to ensure they are free of any flaws.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Health has requested Central Tenders Committee to exclude Warba Insurance Company, which quoted KD 98 million for execution of retired citizens’ health insurance services, and consider the Gulf Insurance Group that presented the second lowest bid of KD 157 million, reports Al-Shahed daily.
The daily quoting a source noted the ministry is basing the decision on the premise that Gulf Insurance Group satisfies the laid down technical specifications and conditions.
“This decision was taken despite the State Audit Bureau had approved the contract award to Warba Insurance Company,” he stated, indicating the guaranty of Warba Insurance Company expired in April but it has yet to respond to the renewal request.
Meanwhile, rumor has it that some private companies purchasing ‘Afia card’ have already generated KD 17,000 in proceeds, and according to law, it should be sold for only KD 7,000.
“Does it mean that health sector has been privatized through Afia card,” the source asked, wondering who the real beneficiary is. He noted the government will bear 60 percent extra cost due to an increase in the expenditure of the new company the contract is awarded to.
He stressed that some citizens have been making jest of Afia card traders by telling them, “We will not give you Afia,” while some lawmakers have kept silent over the violations perpetrated in that regard.
He added one citizen has filed an unprecedented lawsuit requesting the cancellation of Afia card. The plaintiff joined the concerned insurance company in the lawsuit when some private hospitals that were included refused to provide medical services.