Health and Education

Free health care is widely regarded as a civic privilege in Kuwait. However, a growing population means that health care provision is starting to strain state finances. A new scheme is therefore underway to encourage private-sector participation to reduce the burden of state care. The Kuwait Health Assurance Company (KHAC) will be launched by 2015, with a mandate to manage the health care needs of all expatriates living in Kuwait (the number of whom is estimated to rise to 2.23m by 2024). Other new schemes, such as the National Development plan and Mobile Health, aim to expand the health sector and provide improved access to – and provision of – health care. In education, the government plans to upgrade public schools, training institutes and universities, both in terms of facilities and curricula. The Ministry of Education, under the Vision 2030 strategy, also plans to build up to 182 schools. This chapter includes an interview with Dr Kazem Behbehani, Director-General, Dasman Diabetes Institute and former Assistant Director-General, World Health Organisation.