MoH to transform Field Hospital Hall No. 8 in Mishref into expats examination center

KUWAIT CITY, April 27: A positive step has been taken by the Ministry of Health by converting the Kuwait Field Hospital at the Mishref Fairgrounds Hall No 8 as a center for examining expatriate workers, especially since some of the examining centers are witnessing big queues at the moment such as the centers in Shuwaikh and Sabhan, despite the ministry’s attempts to organize the process by insisting on taking prior appointments through the reservation system on its website, reports Al-Qabas daily.

These health testing centers for expatriate workers are witnessing a rush following the decision by the DirectorateGeneral of Civil Aviation to increase the number of incoming flights which bring into the country an influx of foreigners most of whom were stuck outside the country due to the conditions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Transforming the field hospital in Mishref into a labor examination center would contribute to accelerate the pace of completing important labor checks before granting them work permits. Without the medical examination the residence cannot be stamped and in most cases the workers have to pay fines for not completing procedures on time and the fine is borne by the sponsor. This is in addition to workers having to stand for long hours in queue and this is becoming difficult because of the onset of summer.

It is expected that, with the inauguration of the Mishref center, more appointments will be given to visitors “sponsor or delegates”, unlike the appointments given to them in 4 examination centers currently, which exceed 1,200 per day, and it is likely to increase the number of appointments after the Eid Al-Fitr holiday.

Health sources confirmed that work is underway to complete the center’s requirements as quickly as possible, to ensure readiness of the center within 7 to 10 days, pointing out that all the contents of the field hospital are currently being transferred from the site, such as beds, equipment and medical supplies to the designated wards for Covid-19 patients and intensive care units, to ensure they can be used at other alternative locations.

The sources said the inauguration of the center is expected to happen after the Ramadan, especially since the center requires medical devices and equipment such as X-ray machines. The sources added the Mishref center will linked electronically with other centers and the Ministry of the Interior.

On the issue of receiving visitors, sources said this will be decided soon as to who will be entitled to go to the Mishref center or it may also allow visitors living in all governorates.

The sources said efforts are also underway to complete the test results which now take approximately 30 days and as a result the expatriates have to pay fines for delaying the completion of procedures. The centers conduct tests for malaria, hepatitis B and C and infection diseases, AIDS and tuberculosis, filaria and malaria, respiratory diseases.