Health

Requirements for Children

School age children are required to complete Ministry of Health requirements before attending school. When preparing for a visit to Kuwait‘s School Health Department. Essential items are passports for parent and child, birth certificate, vaccination record, and two passport sized photos. Children will receive a TB test and will be required to obtain a physical examination from a doctor in a designated government clinic. These procedures will require approximately two hours. Three days after the TB test is given, children must return to the school Health Department to obtain the result of the test. Negative readings will result in a BCG injection Positive readings may require chest X-rays When these procedures are completed each child receives a BCG card, which is required for school admission, a physical fitness card which is also required for school admission, can then be signed by a designated clinic doctor allowing class attendance to commence. Both cards remain on file with the school nurse.

Health Care / Medical and Dental Care

Health care services are government subsidized, with the compulsory purchase of the government medical insurance (approximately KD20). At time of writing basic treatment is available at a charge of KD1/= at the area clinic and KD2/= at the hospital per visit for expatriates. A photo card is given with the governmental medical insurance. There are proposals to charge expatriates and some charges have already been introduced. It is anticipated that charge will be linked to a social security scheme, but details are not yet available there are charges for some services for example, Sonar and X-rays. There is a pharmacy in each government clinic that dispenses prescriptions.

Routine medical treatment is generally administered at government clinics, which are equipped to handle emergencies well as examinations. Most clinic doctors are general practitioners who either provide treatment on site or refer patients to a specialist at one of Kuwait’s hospitals. Smaller clinics are closed on Fridays and public holidays. Polyclinics are open daily and offer nearly comprehensive services. The Ministry maintains a clinic in each major residential area and a dozen or more comprehensive and speciality hospitals.

Theoretically, local clinics treat only registered, card carrying residents of the area, which they serve. In actual practice, however government clinics are likely to treat or assist all patients requiring emergency of their place of residence.

Kuwait has more than a dozen government hospitals, both general and specialized. In order to benefit from their services, patients generally must be referred by a licensed doctor except in cases of emergency when procedures for admission and the treatment itself often surpass similar services of U.S. hospitals in terms of efficiency and professional care and competence.

Dental hospital offers free dental services by qualified dentists, but a doctor’s referral is usually required. Patients sometimes wait several weeks for appointments in government dental clinics.

For those who prefer private doctors several modern private hospitals provide comprehensive services for reasonable fees. The International Clinic, Mowasat and Hadi hospitals are both open day and night. On the first visit, patients receive ID cards, describe ailments and wait to see the appropriate specialist. Visit fees, medicine, and lab work generally cost less than the same services in the US but can be quite costly.

When patients cannot be taken to a clinic or a doctor, or if an ambulance is required, someone should call (777) or physically go to the nearest polyclinic to report that there is an emergency requiring immediate attention. Going there will eliminate the difficulty of explaining addresses over the phone in serious emergencies requiring special care or equipment; patients should be taken directly to hospital emergency rooms.

Insurance

Governmental Health insurance coverage is provided for each professional overseas employee. Staff wishing to take out private medical insurance can purchase international insurance from companies to cover their medical requirements in Kuwait and when travelling.

Optical

Optical services are readily available at reasonable prices in Kuwait, but it is recommended that employees and all dependants include eye examination in their preparations before travelling to Kuwait. Those requiring corrective vision should arrange to bring spare glasses or contact lenses, prescriptions, and essential cleaning supplies and solution, etc.

Health Regulations

In order to qualify for residency you must have a medical check, which is mostly geared towards detecting such major diseases as AIDS and TB. Those found to have serious infectious diseases not allowed to stay in the country.

Vaccination certificates against cholera and yellow fever are required from travellers coming from infected areas with the exception of children less than one year old. Vaccination against TB is recommended.