MoH to allow expat doctors in primary health centers

Minister of Health Dr Ahmed Al-Awadi issued a ministerial decision allowing the appointment of non- Kuwaiti doctors, graduates of universities outside the country and meet the conditions for appointment under the registered assistant category to work in primary healthcare centers and accident departments in hospitals, reports Al-Rai daily.

The decision has been implemented and/or is required to be implemented and is enforced as of yesterday, and every decision or text that contradicts its provisions is cancelled. This decision comes from the Ministry’s desire to provide high-quality primary health care services that target the health needs of the population through trained and qualified health cadres of family physicians and general practitioners, and to reduce the phenomenon of board-certified family physicians leaking into administrative work.

The decision excludes the children of Kuwaiti women married to Kuwaitis and Bedouns who covered by a decision issued by the minister earlier to employ them directly on the condition that they hold Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery to fill the resident doctor position or Bachelor of Medicine and Oral and Dental Surgery to fill the resident dentist position; and that both of them are transferred to the registered assistant position after spending a year in their current job.

Earlier, the Ministry of Health has stopped the transfer and special assignment for doctors working in primary health care centers to work outside the scope of these centers, reports Al- Anba daily.

The decision states the categories include family physicians with a registered title or above and family physicians with specialized fellowships. The decision excludes doctors who were accepted into the programs of the Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization (KIMS) and the Family Medicine Board during the training years.