Kuwaiti Pregnant Women Can Now Take Sick Leave At 30 Weeks

According to Dr. Abdullah Al-Sanad, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, a ministerial decision was approved by Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi. This decision grants pregnant Kuwaiti women, whose pregnancy has reached 30 weeks, the right to sick leave for the remainder of their pregnancy, provided there are no complications. The decision is contingent on the evaluation of a specialized committee in the obstetrics and gynecology departments.

This decision stems from the commitment of the Ministry of Health and the Council of Obstetrics and Gynecology Departments to ensure the well-being of pregnant women. Some professional activities may not be compatible with the advancing stages of pregnancy, which necessitates measures to protect the physical and psychological health of pregnant women and the unborn child.

Dr. Al-Sanad pointed out that this decision aligns with Article 22 of Law No. 21 of 2015, which outlines the government's responsibility to care for pregnant women at every stage of pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond.

Before, pregnant women seeking sick leave had to navigate a complex process involving medical reports, employer approvals, and multiple committee reviews, which took about a month. The new decision streamlines the process. Kuwaiti citizens who are pregnant at 30 weeks or beyond can now directly submit a request to the General Medical Council, accompanied by evidence of the pregnancy's duration, without their employer's involvement.

The primary goal is to ease the process for pregnant Kuwaiti employees and reduce waiting times for medical committees, especially because obstetrics and gynecology committee meetings are relatively infrequent. The purpose of this decision is to facilitate direct communication between the pregnant woman and the General Medical Council, thus protecting the privacy of pregnant women.

During the final weeks of pregnancy, sick leave remains optional, giving women the option to decide whether to continue working without requesting time off or reduce working hours.

Abdullah Al-Sanad clarified that the current application process involves submitting a paper form to the General Medical Council, with the leave being calculated from the date the form is submitted. In the future, applications will be accepted through electronic means.

Pregnancies beyond 30 weeks are specifically addressed in the decision. For pregnancies below this threshold, strict criteria apply, with sick leave granted to eligible cases or those experiencing pregnancy-related complications. Premature births, irregular blood pressure, placental issues, and multiple pregnancies for medical reasons, such as twins or triplets, are all included in this category.

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