Horrible experience

.....doing medical checkup here in Kuwait for our resident IDs.

This morning, at 7am, we left the apartment for Falaheel, which is an area South of Kuwait, to do our medical checkups in order to proceed with our residency processing. We had to do it at a government clinic. Here, in Kuwait, immunisations and medical checkups cannot be done in private hospitals. Only govt clinics.

I imagined something like the govt hospitals in KL. However, my hopes were dashed when we reached the front of the clinic. It was merely a shack-like building. Far worse than the govt hospitals back home in smaller towns!!! EVERYONE, and I mean EVERYONE, including all foreign workers, labourers etc. does the medical at the same place. I know I should not be too snobbish about it. But when it comes to having a baby and a toddler with you, I am real particular about the healthcare that is provided.

The experience was horrible. Rachel had to get another meningitis booster and another oral polio vaccine. The place was shabby, and the people did not really speak English. Worse of all, they do not spend time explaining why this and that has to be done. When it comes to x-ray, I had to queue up like a prisoner, in orange scrubs, in a confined room with everyone else.

The only positive thing was, hubby's company appointed a govt relations officer to run us through all the procedures. So, we did not have to do much waiting. All in all, the whole procedure took us nearly 2 hours. If we would have done this on our own, it may have taken the whole day.

The next challenge for me is to brave the govt clinics again. This time, without the govt relations officer, for Kenneth's immunisation. But before this, I am going to a really expensive private hospital, for the kids' growth and development monitoring process.

Really, the govt healthcare system here is quite a disappointment. And that gets any mothers worried....