MoH defends blood fees hike for expats in Kuwait

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KUWAIT CITY, May 13: The Ministry of Health said blood is not a commodity for sale and purchase and added people’s lives depend on it, clarifying once again that the fees which have been recently announced are symbolic. The Al-Qabas daily quoting the ministry said, after the decision that was issued a few days ago sparked confusion regarding imposing fees on blood bags for expatriates the committee which was formed to study the prices of services provided by the blood bank and laboratory analyzes, and the problem according to Administrative Resolution 8222 of 2021 if the Ministry of Health, confirmed that blood is not a commodity, pointing out that promoting community solidarity, urging donations, and preserving the strategic blood stock represent most of the lofty goals of the ministry.

The sources indicated that the recently approved fees for blood transfusion services are symbolic related to administrative procedures, such as preserving and transporting blood bags and laboratory tests, which are exempted if there is a donor, which came as an incentive to urge people to donate blood. The sources explained that the prescribed symbolic fees came after about a year and a half of study through the committee of specialists in the ministry, and it is not a goal of the ministry in itself, as far as achieving the noble goals that the ministry seeks from realizing the value of the donation, taking into account “exemption of medical cases such as the emergency cases that require transfusion of blood and its derivatives, such as critical cases, children’s cases, cancer, and other cases that are exempt from these fees.

The sources pointed out that the committee for studying the prices of services provided by the Blood Bank and laboratory analyzes made strenuous efforts in studying and comparing these fees with those in the countries of the region, as they are still nominal fees, compared to the actual cost of services and technical and administrative procedures involved in blood transfusion and preservation

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