KUWAIT: Those mourning the death of their loved ones now face the risk of having to bury corpses on their own thanks to a dearth of workers at the cemetery . At least 23 former workers that contracted hepatitis were terminated from work. According to an source from the Funerals Department of Kuwait Municipality, this is not an official figure.

Medical checkups are performed on employees. Out of the first 200 laborers we obtained tests from, 23 were infected. Some were cured, but those suffering from Hepatitis C will most probably not be cured. We are still waiting to receive test results," officials told Kuwait Times.

All the infected employees were issued termination letters. "The staff belong to different nationalities and both genders, mostly Egyptian, Iranian, Syrian and Asian. Only one or two are Kuwaitis. According to the Ministry of Health's regulations, they should no longer be employed if infected, and will not be accepted even if complete recovery is achieved. The majority are Egyptian, and one of the 23 recently released who returned to Egypt died there yesterday," he added.

The problem is that it (the disease) is easily contracted. We even have two employees including the 'mandoub' who works in our department and not in the cemetery. They were infected. So even our family members may be in danger (of contracting the disease). It mostly spreads between workers, and when they come in contact with corpses," he explained.

They do not fall into the high-income earning group. They were not granted job hazards allowance. However, an allowance of about KD 30 per month is paid," the official pointed out.

The Department's Director has demanded that all workers be paid a job hazard allowance, "The workers deserve this allowance. This work is dangerous because and low-paid. It will somehow attract them to stay rather than search for another job," he said.

The 23 employees that lost their jobs have filed a complaint and seek compensation, "They have lost the case. They have no right to demand compensation because they have already received an allowance. This disease is easily contracted. Despite wearing protective clothing, and disinfecting themselves every morning as part of routine ablutions, they were infected," the official concluded. - Kuwait Times