CSC OKs illegal resident nurses' financial change

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has approved a change in the financial conditions of illegal resident nurses, a senior official of the Health Ministry said. Congratulating the nurses on this move, Assistant Undersecretary of the Health Ministry for Technical Affairs Dr. Jamal Al-Harbi said the ministry has already started discussions with the CSC on the fresh financial amendment. Illegal resident nurses are now paid KD 350-400 in monthly salaries, while nurses of other nationalities receive KD 800 in pays, he said, adding that the new change would improve their financial conditions. Al-Harbi estimated the number of illegal resident nurses at a total of 447 working at public hospitals. However, illegal resident nurses still have a demand to be met; they want to take two days off work as they now take only one day off, the Health Ministry's senior official pointed out. The two-day-off-work system is being initially applied to nurses at Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital for three months starting as of December, he added.