The Ministry of Health has obtained approval from the regulatory authorities to directly import medicines for various types of cancer from manufacturers, reports Al-Qabas daily quoting sources. Sources revealed these medicines will be distributed to Hussein Makki Al-Juma Center for Specialized Surgery and other centers affiliated with Kuwait Cancer Control Center, indicating the contract value is KD 7.6 million. Sources affirmed the ministry is keen on regulating the distribution of medicines to patients, especially those suffering from cancer and chronic diseases. Sources added the Central Agency for Public Tenders (CAPT) also approved the purchase of medical supplies for conducting tests to detect AIDS and hepatitis viruses by using the nucleic acid technology, as the Central Blood Bank laboratory needs such supplies. Sources disclosed the cost of these supplies is estimated at KD 1.9 million. Sources explained these supplies are needed to ensure the safety of blood donation.

Purchase
Sources went on to say that the ministry will also purchase supplies used in X-rays at a cost of KD 927,000 and medicines for high blood sugar at a cost of KD 1.7 million. According to sources, the regulatory authorities approved as well the ministry’s request to float a tender to support, develop and operate the electronic medical file system at Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital in the next phase, taking into consideration the upcoming transfer of citizens using services at Adan and Mubarak Al- Kabeer hospitals to Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital. Meanwhile, the Environment Public Authority (EPA) has launched the ‘Retrieve Expired and Unused Medicines’ campaign, reports Al-Anba daily. In a statement to the daily, Director of the Public Relations and Media Department Sheikha Al-Ibrahim Proposal sent to amend Cabinet’s resolution No. 867/2001 on collecting in-kind donations KUWAIT CITY, Sept 20: The Minister of Commerce and Industry and the Minister of Social Affairs and Community Development Fahad Al- Shariaan submitted a proposal to the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers with a request to reconsider and amend the Cabinet resolution No. 867/2001, reports Al-Anba daily.

The financial and administrative affairs, planning and administrative development sectors of the Ministry of Social Affairs have completed the first phase of launching the automated system for registering employees to obtain sick and annual leaves and permission, via what is known as the “electronic job file”, to address any shortcomings or errors that occurred previously and caused fi- nancial or moral harm to the concerned party, reports Al-Jarida daily.

Reliable sources from the ministry said at this stage only the employees working in the Ministries Complex are included, and the Administrative Affairs Administration has begun to receive leaves, sicknesses and permissions for employees automatically through the “application” explaining that this will be followed by four other stages. The departments outside the complex include: the departments of social care homes, the family care department employees (external units), the social development center employees, and the cooperative societies (the cooperative supervision and inspection department employees).

The sources pointed out that the new service allows the employee to submit a regular or sick leave or permission, after entering a user name and password that belongs to him, and then submit his request to the “administrative affairs” immediately, without having to wait several days for the administration to receive these requests. The ministry noted that many employees, especially those working in external departments and units (outside the ministries complex), were subjected to injustice and salary deductions and in some cases their pay check was withheld as a result of interruption from work and failure to prove attendance and departure through the “fingerprint” system due to the delay in the arrival of their leave requests to the competent department, in addition to some of them being affected by non-receipt of requests for permission when the 30% of attendance and leave, on the basis of which the annual evaluations of employees which is why they were affected during evaluation of their job performance.

The sources added that “the computer department in the administrative, planning and development sector is currently working to launch the rest of the stages in succession, to be completed in full to cover all the ministry’s employees within 3 months maximum, so that all employees can benefit from it, especially as it will be the gateway to transform “administrative affairs” into a smart department by eliminating paper transactions and expanding the use of automated systems, in order to facilitate employees and protect their rights.”

The Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) has activated the absenteeism registration system for expatriates who hold work permits through the ‘Ashal’ automated platform, reports Al- Qabas daily quoting sources.

Sources explained this is aimed at tracking down workers with unjustified absences, determining reasons behind absenteeism and addressing the problem. Sources revealed the Inspection Department at PAM is currently looking into about 1,000 absenteeism reports. Sources affirmed the relevant law allows the worker to object within two months from the date of registering the complaint against him.

Once the deadline ends and the worker does not take such step, the file will be referred to the Residency Affairs Investigation Department to take the necessary legal measures; such as registering the absences in the records of the Ministry of Interior and deportation, sources added.

There have been attempts by the parliament and the government to contain domestic violence, and violence against women in particular, which resulted in submitting a report to the National Assembly to approve a law that constituted a kind of buffer to put an end to this phenomenon of violence against women, reports Al-Qabas daily.

Official reports revealed that a majority of cases of domestic violence that were examined by forensic doctors in the Forensic Medicine Department of the Ministry of Interior until 2020 were against women and children who were subjected to assaults.

 A large number of business owners and private companies have complained about a glitch in the automated system of the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) – rejecting work permit applications submitted from abroad without giving any reason, just a popup message that “the transaction was rejected based on the rejection of attachments,” reports Al-Jarida daily.

Some business owners told the daily that when their representatives went to the labor departments to know the reasons behind the rejection, it appeared in a printout that the license was suspended for lack of a valid address. They said this happened even if they completed several transactions in the past hours. They asked the director of PAM to intervene and immediately solve this problem, which led to the suspension of their transactions

Following a three-year hiatus, the Ministry of Information plans to resume services on “Day of the Seas” (Yom Al-Bahar), by issuing tenders for five investment sites, aimed at revitalizing the heritage site and creating a recreational environment and social outlet for families.

In addition, the sources stated that the village lacked public services upon opening, as well as differences between the ministry and the contractor.

A decision was issued by Abdul Rahman Al-Mutairi, Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs, granting judicial seizure powers to 53 employees of the Ministry of Information.

In the decision, it was stated that the employees would be responsible for proving and controlling violations of the law.

Investments will be available at the following sites

- A shop selling traditional Kuwaiti sweets

- A traditional Kuwaiti food restaurant

- General Restaurant

- Tea and coffee shop

- Popular restaurant and café

A decision will be issued by the Ministry of Interior raising the salary ceiling for family/dependent visas (Article 22) to KD 800. Currently the salary ceiling is KD 500. This decision will apply to all expats who hold Visa Article 17 and 18 (Private and Government).

A work permit or any proof of a salary of KD 800 is required for expats to obtain a dependent/family visa. Additional income earned documents or proof will not be entertained.

MOI has implemented a new rule that seeks to control the demographic structure in Kuwait, permitting only families with high incomes to provide a satisfactory standard of living for their families, so that their wives won't have to look for jobs on the local market because it is overcrowded, reports Al Anba. This decision will cover all those who have entered Kuwait recently on Article 22 for wives and children under 16 yrs of age.

Newly-launched website Wiki Kuwait features information about Kuwait in Arabic language, according to an Arab daily. It is an online encyclopedia that includes various sections covering all areas of interest for those who reside in Kuwait, whether citizens, expatriates and tourists.

To deliver digital content, a team of administrators, writers, editors, and proofreaders, as well as designers, translators, and programmers, works together. According to the report, the site takes into account the customs followed in the country, and adheres to proposals, selects its language, takes into account cultural differences and ages, answers questions and meets visitors’ needs by keeping pace with the latest updates in the world of digital content.

A Kuwait prayer times service is also available on the site, which shows the timing of the five daily prayers. It also includes the Kuwaiti dinar exchange rate, the gold price in Kuwait, and the weather service in the country, all of which are services that update on a daily and periodic basis. The daily also mentioned that information and articles on the site are subject to change, stating that a team of creative writers and editors has been updating its content.

Furthermore, Wiki Kuwait is expected to be a site that is accessible to everyone. There is a special section for government services and its branches and institutions, a special section for education and its subsections dealing with Kuwaiti universities and schools, as well as general knowledge for students, teachers and parents, as well as many other sections. History, geography, economy, Kuwaiti companies, and many other topics are covered in some sections.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry inspectors issued a report of a commercial fraud for a restaurant in Salmiya area using expired foodstuff and preparing meals for its customers. A large quantity of rotten food and expired meals packed and ready for distribution were confiscated with the cooperation of the General Authority for Food and Nutrition. The meat confiscated had no country of origin. Legal procedures were completed by the inspection team.

The Indian Ambassador to Kuwait HE Sibi George has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Japan, according to a press release issued by the External Affairs Ministry of India on Sept 12, 2022. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly.

HE Sibi George arrived in Kuwait in August 2020 from Switzerland when the world was in turmoil following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and was very successful during his tenure in Kuwait to rally the Indian community not only to fight the virus in Kuwait but help contain the pandemic back home with Kuwait’s help and solve the issues of the Indian Diaspora by directly interacting with the community during Open House events. He was very instrumental in further improving the already excellent Kuwait-India relations by meeting senior Kuwait government officials to put the Kuwait-India ties on a highest pedestal

Raja Bou Arki, Assistant Undersecretary of Education for Administrative Affairs and Administrative Development, told an Arab daily that service outlets have been assigned in schools for the academic year 2022-2023. The official also said that cleaning companies operate at the beginning of this month, including in the Jahra area, and there is no shortage of cleaning workers.

Until all companies begin their work early next month, Bou Arki said, the ministry would keep the current number of cleaners in place. If all contracts are valid, service outlets in the educational sector will return to their work centers in Farwaniya if all contracts are valid. In addition, the official mentioned that the administrative sector is awaiting the approval of the Civil Service Commission in terms of outsourcing teachers to initiate the recruitment procedures and setting the date for the arrival of the first batch from Jordan. A work team will be formed in the administrative sector to issue entry visas and clear the procedures for their appointment in coordination with the Ministries of Interior and Health.

About 100 employees in a government agency returned their salaries to the State treasury; after they were referred to the Public Prosecution for forging their attendance fingerprints as it was discovered that one person used fake fingerprints to register the attendance of all the accused, reports Al-Qabas daily quoting a reliable source.

The source confirmed that the prosecution interrogated these employees, who took the initiative to return their salaries during their pretrial detention; hoping the court will impose lighter punishment in view of their confession. The source confirmed the defendants are being tried at the Criminal Court for receiving salaries without working. Their lawyers intend to demand for lighter punishment, the source added.

During an interview with Al-Rai Arabic newspaper, which reported air pollution levels in Kuwait City according to the American index, the Director of the Air Quality Monitoring Department at the Environment Public Authority, Eng. Sherif Al-Khayyat, confirmed that “environmental specialists know that this American indicator depends on measuring the concentration of suspended dust particles in the atmosphere while air quality in cities is measured by monitoring concentrations of gaseous pollutants, including sulfur oxides, carbon oxides, nitrogen oxides, ozone and fine particles.” Moreover, this indicator, he said, “does not take into account the dust originating from the deserts. Throughout the year, Kuwait is affected by sand and dust storms, most of which originate outside Kuwait's borders.

He added, “The American air quality standards differ from air quality standards in the State of Kuwait, and each country has its own standards based on its national conditions, so these classifications have no basis in health at the national level.” Al-Khayyat affirmed that “that the EPA has a system for monitoring atmospheric air pollutants and for this purpose 15 stations are distributed over some residential areas in the State of Kuwait to monitor all the basic pollutants recommended by the World Health Organization whether the atmospheric air, dust particles or water vapor particles of small sizes.

"People with respiratory ailments should avoid going outside or engaging in outdoor activities when the humidity is over 90%." He added, "Everyone can view the air quality index in the residential area by visiting Beatona. In the past, the American Air Quality Index (AQI) published by the Swiss company IQ Air had placed Kuwait City eighth globally, and first in the Arab world, on the list of the most polluted cities. The Pakistani city of Lahore topped the list followed by the Indian city of Delhi, the Chinese city of Chongqing, the Indian city of Mumbai, then the Chinese Hangzhou, the Indonesian city of Jakarta, followed by the city of Dhaka in Bangladesh in that order. After Kuwait (in eighth place), the city of Kathmandu in Nepal ranked ninth and the Chinese city of Wuhan tenth.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Khaled Al-Saeed said the ministry is currently focusing on the stage of building and developing the health system after the Corona pandemic, indicating that it is in the process of launching a number of health centers, including the Abu Fatira Health Center, which will open this week and the Sabah Al-Ahmad City Health Center C next week, reports Al-Jarida daily.

Minister of Health, Dr. Khaled Al-Saeed unveils the opening of the West Abdullah Al-Mubarak Primary Health Care Center.
In a statement to reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of the West Abdullah Al-Mubarak Health Center on Sunday, Minister Al-Saeed added that the ministry continues to work on health development projects, including the Al- Sabah Hospital project, Al-Adan and Al-Farwaniya hospitals, which began receiving patients gradually.

He explained this month will witness the transfer of patients from Al- Adan and Mubarak Al-Kabeer hospitals to Jaber Hospital in southern Surra, in addition to allocating the new Al-Farwaniya Hospital for citizens only based on the decision of the Council of Ministers. He pointed out that the ministry’s strategy also includes expanding primary health care services and upgrading their quality, noting that the total number of centers in the country has reached 112 distributed across the country’s various governorates.

He added that it also includes 26 centers in the Capital Health District, 19 centers in the Hawalli Health District, 31 centers in the Ahmadi Health District, and 14 centers in the Jahra Health District, explaining that the number of centers in the Farwaniya Health District has reached 22. He stated that the ministry’s policy and vision within the health development strategies and plans aims to create more models of integrated hospitals in the country that provide specialized and accurate health and medical services, in addition to public health services in accordance with the latest international standards that take into account the rights, safety and privacy of patients. In turn, the Ministry’s official spokesman, Dr. Abdullah Al-Sanad said that primary health care centers are among the basic foundations of health systems globally and are the first point of contact between the references and those who want services, pointing out that the ministry’s vision in the next stage is integrated hospitals in all specialties.

Al-Sanad indicated that the diversity in providing services aims to serve the citizen and relieve pressure on specialized centers, which is reflected in the quality of the health service provided and the reduction of waiting period. For his part, the Director of the Farwaniya Health District, Dr. Mohammed Al-Rashidi said the West Abdullah Al-Mubarak Center is designed according to the latest engineering standards, and among its most prominent features is the generation of a large part of its renewable electrical energy needs using solar panels.

Council member Abdullatif Al-Daei proposed that pedestrian and bicycle lanes be made on roads and sidewalks within the municipality.

In his proposal, Al-Daei stressed the importance of providing safe sidewalks for pedestrians on internal and main roads and to ensure the requirements such as providing appropriate shading, provide facilities such as sitting chairs, garbage bins, provide greenery etc.

In addition, he suggests providing space for bicycles and light means of transportation for all age groups, especially those with disabilities.

Furthermore, he suggested using heat-resistant materials and taking care of rainwater drainage if necessary.

According to the Ministry of Interior, remarkable facilities continue to be offered to those arrested for violating labor and residence laws who are awaiting their departure. In parallel with ongoing security campaigns by the concerned authorities, some embassies are working to finalize procedures for citizens stranded in Kuwait, according to Al-Qabas daily. In this regard, the expatriates who are in violation of the labor and residency laws are provided with an exit visa as soon as they get clearance of their residency status of Kuwait and after paying the fines.

The process is coordinated with their embassies. In this regard, the Embassy of the Philippines in Kuwait has completed the procedures for 630 Filipino nationals, who were among those arrested and sheltered in the deportation center. Ongoing inspection campaigns in various areas of the country resulted in the arrest of hundreds of law violators among domestic workers or holders of Article 18 permit against whom absconding reports were filed, and they were sheltered in deportation center. These campaigns are part of the efforts to remove marginal workers and fugitives from the labor market.

Kuwaiti citizens objected to being forced to pay for the flight tickets of their absconded workers after they were arrested. In an interview with the daily, they demanded that the minister of interior and director general of the Public Authority for Manpower should work on amending the provisions of the domestic labor law, and avoid obligating employers to pay for the tickets of the fugitives and absconders, especially since they refuse to work, adding that some workers have remained absconding for years without being arrested.

A complaint was filed on the first day of the worker's absconding, and the sponsor was required to pay the value of the ticket to deport him. The citizens insisted that this decision must be addressed, and the violating workers must be charged with the value of the ticket, and those who are deported must be blacklisted. They warned about a “black market” that lures domestic workers and urges them to flee from their sponsors’ homes to work in other fields in exchange for high sums of salary ranging between KD 250 and KD 300 per month. The citizens called on the concerned authorities to approve raising the value of the financial violations against the violators, especially the fugitive workers who were found working in the private sector.

Furthermore, many accredited embassies in the country provide temporary travel documents and tickets for their violating or stranded workers without violating employers' rights. In this regard, informed sources affirmed that pending disputes with companies or owners of domestic workers are being resolved in the event that there are financial claims or cases filed against the worker other than the absconding case.

In coordination with the embassies, the violating worker was granted an exit permit after settling his status and paying the fines. The Philippine Embassy, through two trips in August and September, was able to complete the deportation procedures for 630 Filipinos, including 22 children and 30 sick persons, who were among those arrested and sheltered in the deportation center.

In a video report published on YouTube, the Philippine ABS-CBN news website reported that 343 Filipino workers were on board the flight which departed Kuwait on September 5. Most of the returnees are domestic workers, and that the flight is the second from Kuwait and the largest in terms of the total number of departures.

During the first half of this year, the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) arrested 606 violating domestic workers who had left their sponsors to work in the private sector. This means that the authority every month seizes 100 fugitive domestic workers who work for other parties in violation of the law.

Criminal security staff from the Ministry of Interior's Capital Investigation Department arrested a person selling medical records with old dates for KD 10 at a health center.

He was referred to the competent authorities in order to take the necessary legal measures against him.

Sheikh Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Acting Interior Minister, led two extensive security operations on Saturday to apprehend violators, wanted people, and outlaws in the areas of Maidan Hawalli and Khaitan in Farwaniya.

As reported by the General Administration of Relations and Security Media, the two campaigns were part of a series of security and traffic campaigns throughout the country conducted by the Ministry of Interior. In the process, violators of the residency law and criminally wanted individuals were arrested, pending cases were opened, and persons without civil IDs were referred to the competent authority for legal action. Security forces closed the entrances and exits of the two areas mentioned above during the two campaigns, while checkpoints were set up with security patrols checking identities during the campaigns.

Security and traffic campaigns will continue, the ministry said, while cordoning off the Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh areas of Farwaniya and Mahboula governorates in the Ahmadi governorate to arrest violators and impose the prestige of the law. In order to avoid legal accountability, everyone is expected to cooperate with the security men and not shelter or cover up any violations of the residence law.

Among the security leaders accompanying Sheikh Talal Khaled during the two campaigns were Lieutenant-General Anwar Al-Barjas, Assistant Undersecretary for Traffic and Operations Affairs Major General Jamal Al-Sayegh, Assistant Undersecretary for Public Security Affairs Major General Abdullah Al-Rajeeb, and others.

The Kuwait City ranked eighth globally, and first in the Arab world, on the list of the most polluted cities, according to the American Air Quality Index (AQI) published by the Swiss company IQ Air, reports Al-Rai daily.

The Pakistani city of Lahore ranked first, followed by the Indian city of Delhi, then the Chinese city of Chongqing, the Indian city of Mumbai, then the Chinese Hangzhou, the Indonesian city of Jakarta, followed by the city of Dhaka in Bangladesh. After the City of Kuwait, the Nepalese city of Kathmandu is ranked ninth and the Chinese city of Wuhan tenth.

The American index measures air quality, according to several sections — Good if the score is from 0 to 50; moderate if it is between 51 and 100; unhealthy for those who have allergies if it is between 101 and 150; unhealthy if it is between 151 and 200; completely unhealthy if it the score is between 201 and 300 and dangerous if it reads 301 and above. This indicator measures five major pollutants — ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter.

Al-Rai daily reports that the corpse found in the desert farm in Sabah Al-Ahmed belongs to an Indian.

According to security sources the victim’s clothes were drenched in his blood and there were injury marks on the corpse.

The daily did not give more details. A murder case has been registered at the area police station. Police are looking for the suspect.