Visiting the Doctor in Kuwait

Kuwait is on par with US and Western Europe in terms of healthcare facilities and medical care.

With the state health insurance in place, resident expats in Kuwait can use all public health facilities with a minimal fee. A payment of KWD$2.00 (USD$6.92) is required when visiting government hospitals for treatment while a visit to the clinic costs KWD$1.00 (USD$3.46).

If you have a residency permit, you are eligible for free healthcare that enables you to use the state clinics, but many expats opt to still get international health insurance as a contingent.

State clinics provide free primary health care and are located in all residential areas throughout Kuwait. Services include medical and dental care. These clinics are equipped to handle emergencies, as well as routine medical problems. The clinic has its own doctor or general practitioner who will either provide treatment at the clinic or refer you to one of the general hospitals. The smaller clinics are open six days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and the larger clinics (polyclinics) are open for emergencies till midnight, seven days a week.

All patients need to register when requiring treatment from private hospitals and clinics. The cost of registration is KWD$2.00 (USD$6.92), and consultation fees start at KWD$10.00 (USD$34.60).

Kuwait has no waiting list as there is a high ratio of doctor to the patient due to the country's small population. Kuwait's doctors are high skilled and are mostly foreigners.

Expats in Kuwait can seek medical treatment at Al Rashid Hospital, Al Salam Hospital, British Medical Centre (BMC), Shaab Medical Centre, Alorf Medical Centre and Hadi Clinic/ Hospital.

Government hospitals include Mubarak Al-Kabir, Sabah hospital, Al-Adan, Amiri and Farwaniya.