The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health’s imposition of fees on expatriate patients for blood bags and derivatives has sparked controversy in Kuwaiti society, with observers stating that it will increase the suffering of expatriate patients, especially those with low incomes.
According to the decision published on Sunday in the official gazette, the fees for blood transfer and its derivatives amount to 20 dinars (65.30 USD) per bag for residents registered in the health insurance system, and double this amount for those who are not registered. The decision also includes fees for tests related to blood transfusion processes.
According to the Civil Information Authority, the number of expatriates is 3.2 million, representing more than two-thirds of Kuwait's total population of 4.7 million.
The Ministry of Health considered this step to be "in the context of preserving the national strategic blood and its derivatives stock." It clarified in a statement that the fees do not include Kuwaiti patients, emergency cases, critical patients, cancer patients, children who are non-Kuwaitis, and other humanitarian cases, noting that patients can be exempted from fees if they have a donor.
In December, the ministry had increased the fees for consultations and medicine prescriptions for expatriates by 250% in primary healthcare centers, known as clinics, and by 100% in hospitals, following the outbreak of a medicine shortage and the escalation of parliament members' rhetoric against the government.
