KUWAIT: The official memo from the Kuwait Ministry of Health (MoH) concerning the waiving of medication fees for expatriate cancer sufferers undergoing treatment here had still not been issued as of yesterday. Dr Murali Gopal, consultant and oncologist at the Kuwait Cancer Control Center (KCCC) told Kuwait Times, however, that whilst the health ministry has not yet issued the official notification of its policy to waive medical fees for cancer medication for expatriates, many expatriate patients have already been receiving free or virtually free cancer medication for some years.

The cancer patients here have been receiving virtually free treatment for a long time," he explained. "They'll only start paying for follow-up and payment for some expensive medications available only for Kuwaitis. Even this is sometimes free because charity organizations are willingly helping those cancer patients.

Dr Gopal said that the new directive is great news for the expatriate patients receiving cancer treatment at the KCCC who receive some help from charities to help defray treatment costs, who make up almost 40 percent of the total number of patients there.

There are some medicines and procedures that are absolutely very costly, but even those amounts are being shouldered by some non-governmental organizations who are helping cancer patients. So expat cancer patients here virtually get their treatment also free," he explained.

Cancer patients receive the necessary financial assistance from the Patient Helping Fund and other charitable and non-governmental organizations operating in Kuwait, most of which are run by members of the Kuwaiti ruling family, explained a Kuwait Times source. Dr Gopal asserted that the health ministry's new directive would give an immense boost to the morale of expatriate patients and give a new impetus to the fight against cancer.

Caretaker health minister Dr Helal Al-Sayer issued the directive last week ordering that cancer medication fees for expatriates, especially those with valid residency visas, should be waived. This means that the MoH will no longer charge expatriates for cancer diagnosis and treatment at any of Kuwait's state hospitals or medical centers.

For me the news is absolutely the best news I have ever heard in Kuwait so far," exclaimed one expatriate cancer patient, speaking to this reporter on condition of anonymity. "I have paid for several procedures already since some of the services are free only to Kuwaitis," the patient continued. "For us expats, we have to pay several procedures like CT-Scans, ultrasound and MRI. But now, hearing the good news makes it absolutely worth living. That news is really good since even back home [in his home country] I have to pay huge amount of money and if the Kuwaiti government waives the fees, it will help us a lot, especially those patients on low income.

The patient further explained that other medication and follow up treatment for cancer can be prohibitively expensive. "There is one injection which cost KD800 per shot. Where do you think a poor patient can get that amount just for one injection?" he asked. "Some patients will just wait for a miracle to happen because they can't afford the cost of medication. Some patients won't come back any more and will await their destiny at home. With this new decision, they'll definitely wish to live longer again! he said ecstatically.

As part of the new directive, members of Kuwait's bedoon (stateless) population will also be exempted from having to pay fees for medical services at state hospitals and medical centers so long as they have valid identification cards issued by the Executive Committee for the Affairs of Illegal Residents. - kuwaittimes