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During the weekend, a video went viral that showed a number of women sitting on the floor waiting to be checked by doctors at Adan Hospital. This hospital is the main general hospital in Ahmadi governorate. The women claimed there are no seats for waiting patients. This short video elicited many negative comments and views on healthcare in Kuwait, and a lot of criticism of the hospital.
This article will not analyze the contents of the video, because there is currently an investigation by the health ministry on the subject. The director of the hospital said these women who were sitting on the ground did so by their own choice, because the hospital provides seats, but some patients do not adhere to the system and prefer to sit in front of the doctor's door.
If you have visited Adan Hospital, you would immediately know the reality of the services provided by this hospital. But clearly, this hospital is not able to obtain the satisfaction of many for various reasons, possibly due to its limited services and the large number of patients.
Last year, Global Investment House published an interesting report about healthcare in Kuwait. It mentioned that the number of beds in hospitals will reach around 6,000. It added that despite the increase in the number of beds and nurses every year over the past few years, Kuwait does not meet the current population's needs, which is growing at a higher average rate, which could lead to a collapse in the health system unless sufficient investments are made. I could not agree more.
The report also pointed to the increase in the population in Kuwait and the decline in the number of deaths. This is a good indicator that shows a significant improvement in the level of healthcare in general, but it does not mean a total absence of medical errors or accidents. In Kuwait, medical errors that reach the courts vary from surgical mistakes to misdiagnosis of the patient's condition.
I think we have huge potential and large financial spending on healthcare, but the issue is about health management, which is important. I recently underwent treatment at a private Kuwaiti hospital and I found a great and amazing difference between private and public hospitals. I think people go to private hospitals not only because of the doctors, but the nursing care is much better too, perhaps because the number of patients is less. After all, a private hospital is a private project and business, so maintaining a good reputation is a must.
The population of Kuwait is increasing, with more than 4 million citizens and expatriates currently. This is a large number compared to the number of hospitals and services, so naturally we will keep hearing complaints. I believe that launching commercial and medical partnership initiatives between the government and the private sector is important and has a great need, as well as a positive impact on the local community. Right now we have some pioneering private hospitals that can raise the level of competitiveness among hospitals to attract people. The encouragement of the entry of more foreign investors and more private companies in this important sector is essential now. Such partnerships will ease the government's burden and create new job opportunities to develop the healthcare sector in Kuwait.
By Muna Al-Fuzai
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