Efforts to make nursing job more attractive to Kuwaiti staff

Panel meets minister to discuss health services in southern areas

KUWAIT: Ministry of Health’s (MoH) nursing services manager Sana Taqaddom said the new nursing staff cadre will be soon approved thanks to efforts exerted by Health Minister Sheikh Dr Bassel AlSabah and his keenness on taking care of and encouraging Kuwaiti nurses, adding that future plans have been set to make nursing more attractive to national staff through increments, training courses and scholarships.

Taqaddom said that a two-day conference on ‘Innovation and Development in Nursing’ will be held under the auspices of Sheikh Bassel on Wednesday, Jan 29 at Jumeirah Hotel. Taqaddom added that a new headquarters for the department will be soon completed, including lecture, seminar and workshop auditoriums for larger numbers of nurses. In another health issue, MoH recently received auditing bodies’ approval to import osteoporosis and platelet deficiency drugs at a total cost of KD 1.6 million to supply hospitals and polyclinics soon.

Southern areas

Member of the parliamentary health affairs committee MP Dr Mohammed Al-Huwailah said he had recently met Health Minister Sheikh Dr Bassel AlSabah to discuss healthcare services in southern areas and accelerating the execution of Sabah Al-Ahmad City Hospital. Huwailah said the minister said the Sabah Al-Ahmad Hospital project is still being reviewed by the Central Tenders Committee (CTC), adding that the hospital’s total services coverage area will be increased from 80,000 sq m to 300,000 sq m due to urban expansion in southern areas, which are currently served by only Adan Hospital.

Huwailah also demanded completing construction at Funaitees polyclinic and providing it with necessary staff and equipment, opening Fintas polyclinic and opening a polyclinic in sector D in Sabah Al-Ahmad

City. Huwailah also demanded increasing Jaber Hospital to full capacity as it is currently working at only 25 percent of its total capacity in order to relieve other overcrowded hospitals, namely Adan.

Health insurance

Official sources at the ministry of social affairs said in a bid to activate the ministry’s social responsibility and provide healthcare and welfare, a study is being considered to grant senior citizens and those with special needs the privilege of health insurance. The sources added Minister Ghadeer Aseeri is currently studying giving more privileges to these categories including health insurance, similar to that given to retirees.

MPW budget

The Ministry of Public Works (MPW) recently urged the finance ministry to allocate a budget of KD 600 million for its projects in the budget of the new fiscal year due to commence in April, said informed sources, adding that the finance ministry will only approve KD 450 million. The sources said MPW had sent a long list of the projects to be executed in 20202021 and the cost of each project, but it seems that the finance ministry will implement strict austerity measures due to the KD 9 billion deficit declared by Finance Minister Mariam Al-Aqeel, who had urged various ministries to cut expenses on conferences, overseas assignments, training and excellent performance bonuses, which will be limited to less than 20 percent of employees through applying strict conditions.

Fake cops caught

Two Egyptians were arrested for impersonating as police detectives by using police flashers and stopping a citizen to check his ID, said security sources, noting that the two fake police detectives had an argument with the citizen, which blew their cover. A case was filed and further investigations are in progress.