Eye-Watering New Health Service Charges for Expats
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SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017 RABI AL-THANI 9, 1438 AH No: 17103 Kuwait Airways: Om Puri, star in Mahrez named Sit-in goes against Bollywood and African Footballer development3 West,24 dies at 66 of48 the Year Eye-watering new health service charges for expats Min 06º 150 Fils Visitors most affected by increased fees Max 21º KUWAIT: After Health Minister Dr Jamal Al-Harbi announced an increase in health service fees for expats by mid-February, the new price list prepared by the health ministry reveals increases that reach nearly 500 percent for residents and much more for visitors. The new fees aim to shut the door on those who visit Kuwait to take advantage of low healthcare charges, according to Al-Rai daily. The new charges reach a peak in the treatment of tumors with TheraSphere, at KD 5,000 for visitors compared to KD 500 for expat residents, while the previous charge was KD 100 only. Treatment of bone cancer with isotopes will now cost KD 1,000 for visitors and KD 500 for expats, while the previous price was a mere KD 50. Charges for x-rays and laboratory tests were also increased, such as thyroid gland testing, from KD 15 to KD 40 for expats and KD 90 for visitors. Thyrogen injection charges have risen to KD 500 for residents and KD 790 for visitors. The charges for tests for esophagus and gastric reflux, stomach, liver, spleen, gall bladder and blood vessels range from KD 10 to KD 50 for expats and KD 100 for visitors. Cardiac test fees have increased from KD 10 to KD 50 for expats and KD 100 for visitors, while ischemic heart testing charges increased from KD 30 to KD 50 for expats and KD 100 for visitors. Charges for blood plasma tests will go up from KD 20 to KD 250 for expats and KD 470 for visitors. Mammography charges increase from KD 20 to KD 50 for expats and KD 100 for visitors. Testicular test fees have increased from KD 10 to KD 40 for expats and KD 90 for visitors, while that of vein tests have risen from KD 15 to KD 40 for expats and KD 90 for visitors. DOUMA, Syria: A father mourns over the body of his 11-year-old son Ahmad, who was killed along with a friend when a Lung aeration test fees have increased to KD 50 for expats and cluster bomb exploded in his backyard, at a makeshift morgue in this rebel-held town on the eastern outskirts of the KD 110 for visitors. Kidney tests with DMSA and MAG 3 increased capital Damascus yesterday. — AFP from KD 10 to KD 40 for expats and KD 90 for visitors, while spinal cord test fees increased from KD 20 to KD 50 for expats and KD 100 for visitors. Pregnancy ultrasound charges increased from KD 10 to Russia starts Syria drawdown KD 30, while CT scans will now cost KD 80, and MRI scans KD 120. BEIRUT: Russia’s military said yesterday it has begun scaling forces targeting Aleppo. The fall of the rebel-held east of the down its deployment to Syria, as the regime intensified its city was the regime’s biggest victory in more than five years of Kuwait cuts output bombardment of a rebel-held district home to the capital’s fighting. Thousands of civilians and rebels left the besieged main water source. Moscow’s intervention in Sept 2015 opposition enclave last month under a deal brokered by DUBAI: Gulf OPEC member Kuwait has reduced oil produc- helped turn the tide in favor of President Bashar Al-Assad, Moscow and Ankara. Moscow had already announced a partial tion in January to around 2.707 million barrels per day, meet- whose forces scored a major victory last month with the withdrawal of Russian forces in March 2016, but ramped up its ing its output target under an OPEC supply cut agreement, a recapture of opposition stronghold east Aleppo. Russia, along presence again as fighting increased. Kuwaiti oil official said yesterday. The Organization of the with fellow regime ally Iran and rebel backer Turkey, is push- Putin’s latest announced drawdown coincided with the Petroleum Exporting Countries in November agreed to ing for peace talks to be held later this month in Kazakhstan. declaration of a ceasefire between government and rebel implement output reductions this year as part of a global But escalating fighting near Damascus, including report- forces that has led to sharp drop in fighting. pact to limit supplies to support prices. Kuwait agreed to ed barrel bombings, has undermined a fragile week-old A major exception has been the rebel-held area of Wadi reduce output by 131,000 bpd starting Jan 1, from its nationwide ceasefire and left the talks in doubt. The Barada near Damascus where the regime has stepped up air October baseline production of 2.838 million bpd. — Reuters planned negotiations are the latest diplomatic initiative strikes as the rival sides trade blame over a cut to mains sup- aimed at ending a nearly six-year conflict that has killed plies to the capital. Government aircraft yesterday dropped at more than 310,000 people and forced millions to flee their least 10 barrel bombs, crude munitions notorious for the homes. Turkey, which has worked closely with Russia to bro- indiscriminate casualties they cause, on Wadi Barada, the ker the ceasefire, has warned that the fighting is jeopardiz- Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. A child was killed ing the planned talks in Kazakhstan. as clashes resumed in the area between pro-government Russia’s military said a naval group headed by aircraft carri- forces and rebel fighters led by the Fateh al-Sham Front, the er Admiral Kuznetsov would leave the conflict zone under a British-based monitor said. drawdown ordered by President Vladimir Putin on Dec 29. Damascus has been without water from Wadi Barada since Aircraft from the carrier hit 1,252 “terrorist” targets during a Dec 22. The United Nations said Thursday that 5.5 million peo- two month mission, said Russia’s main commander in Syria, ple had been affected, warning that sabotaging water sup- Andrei Kartapolov, quoted by Russian news agencies. The plies was a war crime. The World Health Organization said yes- Kuznetsov arrived off Syria in November as Russia boosted its terday that even after fighting finished it could take days to firepower on land and in the Mediterranean to support regime restore the supply. — AFP LOCAL SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017 Crime Assembly panel visits Report Police to question ‘half-naked girl’ in social media photo ex-MP Barrak at jail KUWAIT: A half-naked girl posed next to a car with Kuwaiti license plates near the beach, and No quick solution for sports dilemma that for a picture that went viral on social media and promoted detectives to initiate a By B Izzak search to identify her. A security source said it will be difficult to find all the necessary infor- KUWAIT: National Assembly human rights committee yesterday visited lead- mation, but legal procedures will be taken ing opposition figure and former MP against all suspects. Mussallam Al-Barrak at the central jail where he is spending a two-year jail term for insulting the Amir. The meeting with Barrak was part of a visit by the commit- Fatal accident tee members to inspect the situation Forensics experts are working on identifying prisoners at the jail and examine if there were any human rights violations. a person who was burnt beyond recognition Member of the committee MP Waleed Al- after his vehicle flipped over on King Faisal Tabtabaei said he and others met with Road. Barrak for 90 minutes and he posted a selfie photo with him on Tabtabaei’s Twitter account. Barrak has already served most of the Alcohol possession jail term and is due to be freed in April. He was jailed after he was convicted for MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei Former MP Mussallam Al-Barrak Two Indians, one wanted on a financial case, and undermining the authority of the Amir another, who had an expired residency permit, during a speech at a public rally in were banned from contesting the polls Hammad told reporters after a meet- were arrested with nine imported liquor bottles, October 2012. In that speech, Barrak are mistaken and they will see the impact ing for the committee that the govern- rejected attempts by the government to of Barrak after he leaves jail. ment submitted a 74-article draft sports in addition to 14 homebrewed ones. Farwaniya amend the voting system and insisted He said the proposed amendment to law and the committee will start debat- police made the arrest in Omariya following an that the amendment would result in the law does not mean that all those con- ing it on January 9. The committee yes- escape attempt. electing a rubber stamp assembly. victed in those crimes should be allowed terday heard the opinions of a number of Several other opposition activists are also to run for public office, but at the same sports figures who support or oppose the serving jail terms for violating the law time it is not acceptable to bar Dahoum Minister of Information and Youth Sheikh and undermining the authority of the from polls while those who accepted Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah. Children kidnapped Amir through comments on Twitter and bribes are described as honest people. Former head of Al-Tadamun sports A Russian woman accused her Jordanian other social media.