Kuwait health care: past and present: a statistical analysis

After witnessing a tremendous growth in all sectors and at all levels of health care during the past three decades, Kuwait suffered a catastrophic setback during the Iraqi invasion. However, rapid recovery had since occurred, starting immediately after the liberation. This article traces the development of health care services in Kuwait, before and after the invasion

Atmospheric pollution and certain aspects of morbidity in Kuwait

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of environmental pollution due to oil well fires in Kuwait on human health. The sample derived from Emergency room visits to Al-Adan Hospital as well as hospital admissions during a three month period in 1989,1991 and 1992 [just before, during and after the oil well fires]. To record the impact of atmospheric pollution on human health, a selection was made of those morbid conditions which are known to be affected or aggravated by the former, viz., allergic rhinitis, dermatitis, conjunctivitis, bronchial asthma and other conditions of the respiratory tract. In addition, measures of the reproductive outcome were also studied during the same time span. The results showed that atmospheric pollution was responsible for producing allergic conditions affecting the eye and nose as evidenced by a significant rise in the number of hospital admissions and outpatient visits to the Emergency Room. No significant rise in the incidence of asthma was detected. There was a marked decline in the number of normal deliveries over the period of atmospheric pollution. There was also an increased incidence of ectopic pregnancies, multiple gestations, antepartum haemorrhage, spontaneous abortion and low birthweight babies. No significant difference was observed in the number of still-births during the years 1988-92. A direct correlation was observed between atmospheric pollution and smoke-related morbidity based on the mean levels of gaseous and particulate matter in the atmosphere of Kuwait during and after the oil well fires