Corrupt practices in field of medicine up sharply: Omar
KUWAIT CITY - The Assistant Undersecretary of the Drugs and Medical Supplies Department at the Ministry of Health Dr Omar Al-Sayyed Omar said corrupt practices in the field of medicine have increased sharply and become criminal in nature, reaching an international level, reports Al-Jareeda daily.
In a press statement after a conference titled "Control of Medicine Counterfeit", Dr Omar said the department plays an important role in fighting bogus medications that damage health. He added that the relevant departments at the Ministry work in coordination with the Ministry of Interior and the General Customs Department to control fake medications that enter the country.
Omar expressed the importance of organizing awareness campaigns that warn the public against the possible dangers of fake medicines. He added that smuggling medicines is a crime punishable by law, even if the medicine is for personal use. He revealed that Ministry of Health does not allow any medicine to be administered in the country until it meets international medication specifications.
Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday a total ban on the sale of "Dramol" in all pharmacies, both in the government and private sectors.
Assistant Undersecretary for medicines and medical equipment Dr Omar Al-Sayyed Omar told KUNA the ban followed laboratory tests that proved the presence of a chemical anti-allergen that was not present in the first batch of the drug, which was approved earlier.
He called upon all consumers who used this medicine to stop its consumption to avoid dangerous side effects, and to wait for further studies and laboratory tests by the pharmaceuticals control department.
The official urged members of the public to call the department for any related questions or queries.
Swine flu
In the meantime, the Ministry of Health affirmed that no more deaths due to swine flu have been reported, reports Al-Jareeda daily.
The Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health Affairs Dr. Yousif Al-Nisf, in a press statement, said no deaths were reported due to swine flu in recent days. He went on to point out that the Handicapped Committee held its first meeting a few days back, during which members put forth their views on requirements of persons with special needs.
On the other hand, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health Dr. Ibrahim Al-Abdulhadi asserted that the Ministry is seeking to make Makki Jumaa Center for Specialized Surgery the best center by inviting top doctors specializing in the treatment of cancer to the center.
Meanwhile, the Assistant Undersecretary for Medical Affairs Dr Quais Al-Dowairi has recently disclosed the Ministry of Health will complete the recruitment procedure for an estimated 500 male and female nurses in their various specializations from India by January 9, 2010 to fill the shortage in several units of the health sector, including intensive care, theater and the kidney units, reports Al-Rai daily.
In a statement, Al- Dowairi added the Ministry agreed to exclude nurses from the fingerprints attendance system.
Meanwhile, the Undersecretary of Ministry of Health Dr Ibrahim Al-Abdulhadi has formed a technical committee to look into the setting up of a private Kidney Dialysis center under the name of the late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed.
The center will be headed by the Assistant Undersecretary for General Health and Maintenance Engineer Samer Al- Asfour and membership of various specialists.
© Arab Times 2010
