Top court rejects lawsuit to cancel new health fees

KUWAIT: The administrative department at the supreme court rejected a lawsuit filed by a lawyer against the health ministry to overturn its decision to increase healthcare fees for expatriates. The Fatwa and Legislation Department pleaded on behalf of the health ministry and demanded to dismiss the case, submitting a defense memorandum behind the ministry’s decision.

The case was first heard by the court in August, and decided on Oct 4 to defer the verdict until yesterday. The health ministry has issued a decision to increase fees on expatriates due to increase in costs for providing healthcare services such as surgeries, medical equipment, laboratories and medical supplies. The decision came into force on Oct 1 with the exception of emergency and critical cases.

Meanwhile, the interior ministry announced yesterday that owners of vehicles parking on pedestrian crossings will face heavy fines starting from Oct 29. This new policy is within the provisions of article 169 on keeping vehicles parked away from pedestrian crossings, said the ministry, adding that the violators’ vehicles will be impounded for two months and a fine of KD 15 will be imposed.

Violators will pay an additional KD 10 for transporting the vehicle to the facility and will be fined KD 1 daily during the period of impoundment, the ministry’s general department of public relations and security media said in a statement. According to articles 208 and 210 of the traffic law, the department is not responsible for any damage that occurs while transporting impounded vehicles, it concluded.