Expatriates will reportedly be banned from treatment in public hospitals in less than three years, according to well-informed health sources, Kuwait Times reported.
The Health Ministry has also rejected parliamentary demands and proposals to cancel a decision to exempt some expats from increased health fees and only apply the exemption to domestic helpers, children of Kuwaiti women and GCC nationals.
The sources said lawmakers had complained that too many expats have been exempted, such as health ministry staff and others, and that these groups still pose a burden on public hospitals and prevent citizens from getting proper medical services on time.
The sources said the health ministry argued that treating expats in public hospitals will be phased out shortly, adding that it was premature to start such measures now, because health insurance hospitals haven’t begun operations and private hospitals are not currently equipped to deal with all expatriates.