Cabinet holds extraordinary session, mainly on combating coronavirus

KUWAIT, March 5 (KUNA) -- The Cabinet held its extraordinary session on Thursday at the Seif Palace headed by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Hamad Al-Sabah, and the focus was mainly on combating the new coronavirus, (COVID-19).
After the meeting, Minister of Finance and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Barak Ali Al-Shaitan said the following: At the beginning of the meeting, His Highness the Prime Minister conveyed the thanks and greetings on behalf of His Highness the Amir and His Highness the Crown Prince, to all participating in the state efforts to combat the spread of the new coronavirus, known as (COVID-19).
The minister also conveyed the leadership' appreciation for all those who provide all the capabilities and necessary precautions required by such circumstances in a manner that preserves the health and safety of citizens and residents, expressing satisfaction and appreciation for the positive reactions expressed by citizens and residents regarding the efficiency of adopted procedures and measures in order to reduce the effects and harm of this disease.
Minister of Health, who is head of the team assigned to follow up on the developments of Coronavirus, Sheikh Dr. Basel Humoud Hamad Al-Sabah, also briefed the council on the latest developments on the global spread of the virus, which highlighted reports from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The minister also stated that contacts are underway with neighboring countries, especially the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, to coordinate on all precautionary measures taken regarding this issue.
In the context of implementing plans to limit the spread of the emerging coronavirus and following up on the latest developments in the therapeutic, preventive and related logistical services, the cabinet reviewed recommendations by the ministerial committee meetings in charge of following up the consequences of the emergence of the new coronavirus and decided the following: 1 - Assigning the Public Authority of Industry to coordinate with the relevant government agencies and the private sector to take the necessary measures towards increasing production capacity and operating local factories to manufacture masks and sterilization materials according to international specifications, approved by the Ministry of Health, to provide the strategic reserve need of these products, and assigning Ministry of Defense in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Kuwait Airways to ensure the transportation and shipment of the above-mentioned equipment and materials as quickly as possible.
2 - Calling on Kuwait's Supply Company to continue with its efforts towards providing 30 million masks from different markets, according to specifications approved by the Ministry of Health, mainly the medical (surgical mask) type, and assigning the Ministry of Social Affairs to instruct the Consumer Cooperative Associations to distribute masks to appropriate pharmacy branches, sales centers, and to be sold to all consumers, citizens and residents, at a price of no more than 100 Fils per mask.
The pricing will be according to a mechanism that does not allow monopoly and mandating the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to determine the value of the masks sold to Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies.
3 - Warning all parties involved not to issue any instruction or take any measure related to anti-virus efforts unless they are approved by the ministerial committee handling the state efforts against the new coronavirus.
4 - Assigning the Ministry of Finance to coordinate with all state bodies to cover financial needs to combat the spread of the virus as well as costs of logistical urgently needed services, in accordance with the system established by the Ministry of Finance in this regard to ensure speedy response to the needs of the authorities and commitment to the requirements of preserving public finance and taking into account the controls of the regulatory authorities.
5 - Assigning a committee headed by the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers and the membership of both the Ministry of Finance and the Civil Service Bureau to submit appropriate proposals to financially honor those who work directly in implementing procedures to counter the spread of the virus, in a show of appreciation to their sacrifices and risks.
6 - The cabinet also reviewed recommendation mentioned in the committee's minutes regarding the implications of the instruction issued by the Civil Aviation Authority regarding imposing a PCR examination on all arrivals from tens countries.
According to recommendations by WHO, a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a test to diagnose Covid-19.
7 - In view of the inability of some countries to implement the procedures and examinations mentioned in that circular for technical reasons, the cabinet decided: A - Entrust the Civil Aviation authority to halt the implementation of Circular No. 25 issued by the authority on March 3, 2020, regarding imposing a PCR tests on travelers coming to the country from some countries.
B - Assigning the relative authorities to follow developments of the new coronavirus, and to provide practical alternatives that guarantee that travelers coming to the country are free from virus, as soon as possible.
8 - The cabinet also reviewed a specific recommendation to preserve the necessary stockpile of preventive supplies for combating the spread of the virus, and decided not distribute any of them to government agencies before the approval by the ministerial committee in charge of following-up on the virus.
9 - In order to preserve the strategic stockpile of masks, disinfection and sterilization materials, to deal with the repercussions of coronavirus, and the possibility of its geographical spread, the cabinet decided to assign the Ministry of Trade and Industry in cooperation with the Ministry of Health to identify materials and requirements and set limits to the private sector on how to sell such materials, according to approved regulations that do not minimize the strategic stockpile required by these articles and prepare the necessary legal justifications that allow taking the necessary measures to achieve this. (end) msa.mb