Kuwait City
Kuwait City is the capital of Kuwait. With a population of 2.38 million, it is where the large majority of Kuwait residents live. Kuwait City is located on the shore of the Persian Gulf, which positions it at an important center for the country’s tourism, cultural, political, and economic sectors.
Kuwait City has an arid climate that has very hot summers. At the peak, temperatures can range from 38 to 46 degrees Celsius. During a heat wave, these temperatures can be as high as 50 degrees Celsius. Winter temperatures are much cooler, and the city will even see some rain during this time. The wettest month of the year is January, Dust storms are regular features of the city, and can happen anytime throughout the year, but are most frequent in the summer.
Kuwait City is a popular tourist destination, with many hotels in the city. According to the Kuwait Hotel Owners Association, there are currently over 25 hotels that are planned or in construction. By 2012, the city expects to have an additional 3,000 rooms added to the city’s hotel inventory. In addition to its beaches, the city also offers visitors a large range of shopping malls.
Expatriates and visitors traveling to Kuwait will find a level of care that is on par with North America and Western Europe. Since the majority of medical personnel are foreign nationals, most of the staff will speak a proficient level of English.
Kuwait City, like the rest of Kuwait, has a good public healthcare system that is free for Kuwait citizens. Expatriates and visitors are also allowed to use these facilities at a subsidized rate. If you are living there for the long term, you will also have access to the country’s public health insurance scheme, which grants you basic access to all public facilities at a premium of around $450 USD a year.
A problem that besets the city’s public healthcare network is overcrowding. With the increase in the number of residents in the city, the city’s public health system is struggling to keep up with the number of patients. To resolve this problem, the government is planning to build several new hospitals.
To supplement the city’s public healthcare system is the city’s private health sector. Kuwait’s private facilities are very good, and equal in standard to the best hospitals in North America and Western Europe. However, the cost of private healthcare is also much more expensive than what the public facilities charge. In fact, many private hospitals will require that you show proof of insurance or the ability to pay immediately, with the exception of patients who require emergency services.
Another difference between private facilities and public facilities is the level of privacy that the center can offer. Public hospitals tend to not allow family members to stay overnight with the patients or husbands to be in the delivery room with their wives. This is because public hospitals do not have private rooms. Most patients will share a ward with other patients. Private hospitals, on the other hand, offer individual delivery and patient rooms.
Regardless of whichever type of health center you choose to visit, it is highly recommended that expatriates and visitors purchase an international medical insurance plan before traveling. Although public health treatment costs are lower than they are in the west, they can still be very high if you require complicated medical attention. Furthermore, if you are in a remote area and require medical treatment, you will need emergency evacuation, which can be extremely expensive. Protect yourself and loved ones from unnecessary financial risks.
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