With the recent decisions of the Ministry of Health to amend and add fees for health services related to the licenses of private medical establishments, licenses of medical practitioners and supporting professions, and licensing fees issued by the pharmaceutical control sector to pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies and drug storage warehouses, there is a fear of increase in prices in hospitals and specialized centers in the private sector.
According to the Ministry of Health, fees of some services have not been changed since 1993, now it is feared there is every possibility of adjustment in prices, especially as the ministry in October 2017 increased the fees of health services to residents and visitors and a list of fees was announced at that time.
The fees for issuing a license to practice medical professions increased by 100 percent, the fees for practicing the profession of doctors increased to KD 100, after they were KD 50 earlier, and license fees for practicing a pharmacist assistant from KD 25 to KD 50, license renewal fees from KD 30 to KD 50, as well as the high fees for the license to practice nursing professions or technical staff from KD 25 to KD 50.
Informed sources said that the Ministry of Health has taken decisions to increase fees after extensive study in various respects, especially that the fees of some services have not been modified for up to 26 years, indicating that the current fees are equivalent to their counterparts in the health institutions in the GCC countries.
The sources added that the ministry is committed to the directives of the Council of Ministers to take steps and measures to control the disbursement process and rationalizing spending, as well as activating procedures to increase revenues, in order to preserve the ministry’s right to provide services to the patients.
Source: Al-Qabas