KUWAIT CITY, Sept 16: The State Audit Bureau (SAB) has recorded several violations of the Health Ministry related to liabilities, dues, allocations, salary refunds and debts, reports Al-Seyassah daily. In its report on the final account of the ministry for fiscal 2023/2024; the bureau indicated that balances remain in the account of debts owed to the government for more than 20 years, which it considers negligence in collecting the amounts allocated for the State treasury. It disclosed that the balance of the account of debts owed to the government reached about KD 34 million at the end of the first quarter of the current year.

This is the result of low collection rates, as majority of the debts of companies and individuals have remained uncollected over the years and the ministry has not taken serious measures to collect these amounts for the State treasury -- a violation of the Cabinet’s decision regarding the rules for implementing the budget, the bureau asserted. SAB confirmed the continuation of balances carried forward in the account of debts owed to the government for many fiscal years, some of which date back to fiscal 2003/2004 amounting to more than KD17 million in the form of uncollected payments from insurance companies and Zakat House during the implementation of the health insurance system for expatriates -- 54.6 percent of the balance amounting to KD 31.234 million.

It also pointed out the failure to complete the data under the ‘Reasons for Non-settlement’ column; as the phrase “coordination is carried out on a regular basis with the relevant departments and administrations” is placed for all debts without clearly stating the reasons for each case; thereby, weakening control over these amounts -- a violation of the Ministry of Finance circular 2022 regarding the rules and procedures for closing accounts and preparing the final accounts of government agencies.

On the ministry’s debt to the government, the bureau said the ministry dropped balances for government agencies from the account of debts without stating the reasons -- whether they were settled or not, which totaled about KD 1.1 million, including KD 455,000 debts owed to the Ministry of Public Works; KD 255,000 debts owed to SAB and KD 207,000 to the Ministry of Electricity and Water, among others. It added that some amounts continued to be recorded in the account of debts owed by the government amounting to KD1.271 million; without stating the names of those entitled to them and without filling the ‘Reasons for Non-settlement’ column correctly, as the form shows them as debts owed by the government that weaken control over them in violation of the circulars on the rules and procedures for closing accounts and preparing the final account for government agencies.