Minister asked about procedures for ‘applying’ to Canadian Board – ‘Lack of equality’

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KUWAIT CITY, Sept 18: Dr Ahmed Al-Kandari, a doctor who works as senior registrar in the Ministry of Health, asked Health Minister Dr Bassel Al-Sabah and Secretary General of Kuwait Institute for Medical Specializations (KIMS) Dr Ibrahim Hadi about the procedures for applying to the Canadian board, reports Al-Rai daily.

He asked, “Why some Kuwaiti doctors are prevented from applying to the Canadian board? Why those who have not passed the training period are allowed to apply for the test, while others are not?” He expressed deep regret over the lack of equality in the application procedures for admission to the Canadian board. He went on to say, “The selection committee for admission of doctors to the Canadian board started in several fields. According to the system, a doctor admitted to the Kuwaiti board is not entitled to apply to any other board for the simple reason that he was admitted to the Kuwaiti board and had taken his chance. Unfortunately, this is not the case as we saw that the system depends on ‘wasta’ (influence) and connections.”

He cited as an example a female Kuwaiti doctor who has been studying for more than a year in the Kuwaiti board. The president of the board disapproved her application to the Canadian board, but she did not take his decision into consideration because she is from a certain family. She applied to the board and bragged that she will be admitted against their will because she is from that family, as if our State does not apply its laws on citizens equally, he added. He wondered how a doctor could go beyond all the laws of the ministry and go with confidence to apply to the Canadian board, which is considered the second board and it is non-Kuwaiti. Her papers were accepted by KIMS while others are not allowed to apply. It is either you prevent or allow everyone, he asserted. He disclosed the doctor’s brother was accepted in the Canadian board although he did not pass the test and it is strange that the Canadian board could not refuse because he also had ‘wasta’.

The questions then are: Why the other Kuwaiti doctors are not allowed to apply to the Canadian and Kuwaiti boards? Why we have no system for the appointment, acceptance and classification of doctors according to their expertise, qualifications and efficiency?

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