11/03/2026
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11/03/2026
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Kuwait Health Ministry adds electronic leave to smart fingerprint system.
KUWAIT CITY, March 11: The Ministry of Health announced the provision of 75 mental health clinics in a number of primary healthcare centers in all governorates of Kuwait to enhance mental health services and improve patient access. The ministry explained that the clinics provide both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, and offer comprehensive care for children and adults during morning working hours in Ramadan. The clinics receive patients with a range of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, sleep disorders, and other mental health issues.
Patients can visit the health center directly or book an appointment in advance through the Ministry of Health’s website using the primary healthcare center appointment service. The Ministry of Health has issued a memo to all its departments, mandating strict compliance with regulations governing the calculation of lateness and absences during official working hours. This follows the provisions of Civil Service Council Resolution No. 41/2006, which sets out the rules, regulations, and controls for official work.
The memo, which was addressed to assistant undersecretaries, directors of health zones, and directors of central departments, emphasized the application of Articles 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23 of the resolution, which outline the procedures for calculating periods of lateness and absence from work. Article 18 specifies that periods of lateness are to be accumulated at the end of each month. An employee will not face penalties if the total lateness for the month amounts to a quarter of a working day or less.
However, if total lateness exceeds a quarter of a day but is less than half a day, the employee will be penalized with a deduction of a quarter of a day’s pay. If lateness exceeds half a day but is less than three-quarters of a day, the deduction increases to half a day’s pay. The deduction continues to rise with each additional period of lateness, calculated at a rate of one-quarter of a day. The article clarifies that this penalty is not considered a disciplinary action, does not require an investigation, and is applied based on the principle of “equal pay for equal work.” Article 19 stipulates that, if total lateness during the month exceeds the hours of a full working day, the employee will face a salary deduction and be referred for a formal review.
During the review, the employee’s statement will be heard and their defense reviewed before any appropriate penalty is imposed if the violation is confirmed. Article 20 clarifies that penalties are applied according to a graduated system - the first violation results in a warning, the second incurs a one-day salary deduction, the third a two-day deduction, and the fourth a maximum three-day deduction. If the violation is repeated thereafter, a written review will be conducted in accordance with general rules to consider imposing harsher penalties.
Article 21 allows female employees to leave 15 minutes before the official end of the workday, including during working days in the holy month of Ramadan. Regarding leaving without permission, Article 22 stipulates that if an employee leaves during working hours without authorization, whether they return and sign out or not, the direct supervisor must initiate a review after verifying the time of departure and return. The period of absence will be counted toward the monthly lateness allowance. Article 23 states that if an employee signs in upon arrival but immediately leaves without permission and does not begin work, they are considered absent for the day without authorization. Consequently, they forfeit their salary for that day and may also face disciplinary action in accordance with the Civil Service Law.
By Marwa Al-Bahrawi Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff
