KUWAIT, Feb 18 (KUNA) -- The National Assembly is set for a session devoted to the interpellation of Health Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah Monday, upon request of MPs Dr. Walid Al-Tabtabaei, Dr. Jamaan Al-Hreish, and Ahmad Al-Shehoumi.
Ahmad Al-Abdullah would be the third health minister to face interpellation, with four calls originally made for such a move and one minister facing interpellation twice before. The minister was to take the stand after his predecessors Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Awadhi and Dr. Mohammad Al-Jarallah.
Since formation of the first cabinet in January 1962, fifteen ministers held the health portfolio.
Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Awadhi was the first Kuwaiti health minister to face interpellation and the request for his hearing was presented by MP Khalifa Talal Al-Jeri over a list of names of patients sent for treatment abroad and the types of medications and care involved.
The interpellation took place October 6, 1982 with the minister refusing to present requested data, observing the ethic of confidentiality between patient and physician. The Constitutional Court's opinion was sought on this matter and the minister was, in November 1982, seconded in his decision and observing of article 99 of the constitution and the information was denied.
This constituted precedence in the State of Kuwait where a minister resorted to the Constitutional Court to counter demand for information by a member of parliament.
On April 18, 2004, MP Hussein Al-Qallaf brought the second call for an interpellation against health minister Mohammad Al-Jarallah. The issue this time was lack of support and inadequate treatment of those with expertise at the ministry, violations of rights of national staff, violations of human rights at ministry facilities, as well as financial and administrative violations.
This was in addition to failure to respond to MPs questions and remarks concerning favoritism and squander of funds and resources.
The minister passed the vote of confidence after a 12-hour long debate on May 4, 2004.
March 23, 2005 brought on the third request for interpellation of a health minister. This was again directed at Al-Jarallah over administrative slack and deterioration of service and management of the ministry, as well as failure to hold mal-practice accountable.
With ten MPs urging for a vote of no-confidence, the parliament discussed the points addressed by the MPs April 4, 2005. However, the minister chose to resign his post April 11.
The last call for such interpellation was filed against the current minister with focus on four issues. These were administrative violations, mal-treatment of qualified staff, violations in treatment abroad cases, and overall deterioration in quality of service.
Article 100 of the Kuwaiti Constitution provides "Every member of the National Assembly may address to the Prime Minister and to Ministers interpellations with regard to matters falling within their competence.
It adds that "Subject to the provisions of Articles 101 and 102 of the Constitution, an interpellation may lead to the question of no-confidence being put to the Assembly."
