Doctors back separate timings for citizens, expats – MoH to implement system in all hospitals after study

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KUWAIT CITY, March 7: Several doctors at the Amiri Hospital consider the decision activated to operate the outpatient clinics separately to receive citizens in the morning and expatriates in the evening as a brilliant one, because it will help reduce pressure on them.

The doctors noted they were compelled to receive over 100 cases in the morning shift prior to the decision, reports Al-Anba daily. In this context, Director of Capital Health Zone Dr Afrah Al-Sarraf said the decision was approved after a comprehensive study. She explained the new system will be run on experimental basis for six months before the Health Ministry generalizes it in all hospitals.

She stressed that services offered in the morning and evening shifts will not differ, indicating the evening shift was allotted for citizens at one time to show that expatriates will not find any disorder in the services offered. Meanwhile, the daily interviewed several patients for their points of view regarding the decision to run the outpatient clinics at Amiri Hospital separately to receive citizens and expatriates in the morning and evening respectively, and got varied feedback.

Some patients were against the decision, although several others supported it on the pretext that it will help reduce crowd. They stressed that citizens are worthy of outstanding services and so Amiri Hospital should be designated solely to citizens, as it’s located in the Capital, where the majority of inhabitants are citizens.

Those against the decision said it is somehow discriminatory because there should be no distinction between citizens and expatriates in health services, while all patients should be treated equal. In the meantime, there has been report of inconveniences among diabetic patients who used to visit specific doctors well versed and familiar with their cases.

Now, the patients in question find themselves with different doctors who have no clear idea of their medical history. Another expatriate reiterated that foreigners should be thankful to God for Kuwait, as medical services are still offered here, unlike other countries.

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