Reference to the earlier post

In reference to my earlier post, and in response to one of the comments on it, I say this:

My view is this: WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH!!!

We've got over 5 Government-run general hospitals in Kuwait, the latest of which was build a few years BEFORE the 1990 Iraqi invasion-over 16 years ago! Privately-run hospitals are growing in numbers, expertise and price, and while they do show some significant improvements in healthcare they remain to be 'commercial'.

Moreover, many, if not all, the government-run hospitals are, or have been, renovated due to donations to the Ministry of Health by 'private individuals' from the Kuwaiti Society over the past years. That is to say, buildings, furniture, staffing, medical equipment, entire wards, you name it. This practice has become so common-place within the MInistry of Health that it's become 'institutionalized'. the MOH actually has 'standards' for the type of donation: Complete wards, office equipment, medical equipment, 'need to get' items, etc..

This happens in a country whose GDP per Capita is in excess of US$19'200, Cradle-to-grave welfare (free education, health, employment, etc) and an annual revenue in excess of US$47 Billion (2005 published figures).

What does the government do? It complains that the people who frequent the hospitals waste government funds by throwing away prescription and Over-the-Counter medicines that the government hands out for free! It closes down community clinics during office hours and weekends (which are also recipients of private donations, by the way), it seeks non-Kuwaiti medical staff from overseas (Middle East and Asia) that are of lesser calibre than the Medicine Men of the neanderthal age, it purchases paracetamol-based medicines from Egypt, and not the actual manufacturer, just because they're 'cheaper' to get, etc..etc..etc..

Moreover, it sends people off for treatment overseas at it's own expense, so much in fact, that Germany has refused to accept ANY references from Kuwait until the Kuwaiti Government pays it's outstanding US$2 Million debt to the German Hospitals!

What does the government do? It sees fit to pay out KD 200 in dividends to the Kuwaitis a second time, totalling over KD 225 Million, or over US$ 721 Million, just like that! A handout from a generous government to a consumer-obsessed, loan-infested society of Kuwaiti nationals. So in stead of investing in renovating the existing hospitals and clinics in Kuwait, or better yet, build new ones, it prefers to give away money to the Kuwaiti citizens to spend on themselves & their families.

So you ask me where I stand in this issue? You decide...