Shortage of nutritionists due to lack of incentives in Kuwait

 Lack of a sufficient number of nutritionists and food experts has led to spread of many health problems in the country, according to a leading specialist in the nutrition field.
Dr. Ahmad Al-Haifi, chairman of the Kuwaiti Food and Nutrition Society, said in a statement to KUNA that the specialists' shortage has resulted in spread of a lot of health problems, such as consumption of unfit food, obesity and overweight among the consumers. Some ministries have employed personnel as substitutes to nutritionists, he added.
He alluded the nutrition specialists' shortage to "decisions of the Civil Service Commission," as well as lack of incentives for the specialists to get jobs in the relevant State authorities.
These specialists face hazard of contracting patients' diseases, in addition to various other risks, however their monthly payment is much lower than salaries of other civil servants of different tasks, thus many of them have abstained from enrollment in the government health and health-related sectors, Dr. Al-Haifi explained.
He expressed hope the competent authorities re-examine status of the State-employed nutritionists, for sake of a healthier society, and vowed to re-raise the matter with the senior officials.
The association, proclaimed in September 2014, contributes to mapping out national nutrition strategies and contingency plans in face of communicable diseases. It also presents recommendations for treating widespread diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and that is through sound feeding education.