KUWAIT CITY, April 9: The surge in students seeking medical leave to justify school absences inundates clinics, prompting concerns over operational capacity and healthcare quality.

As auditors scrutinize medical services provided over the weekend and Monday, clinics find themselves besieged by a deluge of students clamoring to obtain medical leave to validate their school absence.

Struggling to cope with the overwhelming influx of visitors, clinics face immense pressure exacerbated by the widespread absenteeism of students from schools. The Ministry of Education's vigilance on the matter, coupled with some schools scheduling tests over the two days, has further fueled the rush for medical leave.

Long queues snake beyond the confines of dispensaries, revealing glaring shortages of reception staff and a lack of clear mechanisms to manage the burgeoning numbers. In some dispensaries, patient numbers swell to over 350 during the evening hours, with Ministry of Health officials notably absent from the scene.

The recurrent issue preceding official school holidays raises questions about clinics' ability to address the problem effectively. Concerns loom over the strain on resources impacting genuine patients and the potential ramifications for healthcare service quality, a fundamental pillar of the government's agenda.

Health sources acknowledge the challenges posed by the overcrowding situation, hinting at the issuance of instructions to activate regulatory procedures prioritizing genuine patients. Emphasizing the necessity of activating electronic sick leave, they stress the imperative for cooperation among stakeholders to develop a logical solution to the problem.

Acknowledging flaws in the existing mechanism for obtaining sick leave, sources highlight the exceptional nature of the student influx, which surpasses clinic capacities. Criticizing the mechanism that allows healthy students to obtain medical care, they underscore the need for systemic reforms to prevent a recurrence of the crisis.

The dispensary crisis, far-reaching and pervasive, extends beyond isolated incidents, affecting multiple facilities due to similar operational challenges. Urgent measures are needed to mitigate the strain on clinics and ensure efficient healthcare delivery amid escalating demands.