KUWAIT: Lawyer Hashem Ahmad Al-Rifae submitted a grievance and an appeal to Health Minister Dr Jamal Al-Harbi to cancel the new health fees to be imposed on expats. He said in his letter that the decision will have negative repercussions and will harm citizens too, in addition to harming Kuwait's reputation. "Kuwait is a humanitarian country of peace, and Kuwait gives aid to victims of natural catastrophes and wars regardless of their religion, origin or language," he said.
Rifae said the decision contradicts Kuwait's constitution as well as laws and rules that regulate services. He added law 1/1999 doesn't permit the health ministry to impose new fees on those included in the health assurance scheme or increase any fees.
Earlier this month, Harbi issued two ministerial decrees to increase health fees paid by expatriates and visitors for using services at public hospitals and polyclinics.
The new fee structure will go into effect on Oct 1. Kuwait has also implemented other anti-expat measures in recent months, including significantly hiking the fees for parents' residency visas and raising electricity and water charges for apartment buildings that are mostly inhabited by expats, among others.