Expatriates will be banned from treatment in public hospitals within less than three years, local daily paper Kuwait Times reported quoting reliable sources.

The daily also reported that the MoH had rejected parliamentary demands and proposals to cancel a decision to exempt some expats from increased health fees and only apply the exemption to domestic helpers, children of Kuwaiti women and GCC nationals.

Earlier, authorities have exempted several expats such as health ministry staff and others, and the lawmakers had complained that these groups still pose a burden on public hospitals and prevent citizens from getting proper medical services on time.

Health ministry argued that treating expats in public hospitals will be phased out shortly. This will be done once the health insurance hospitals begun operations as private hospitals are not currently equipped to deal with all expats. Earlier it was reported that the health insurance hospitals, exclusively for expatriates will start functioning from next year.