Kathmandu, 15 Aug: In the Gulf nation of Kuwait, nine Nepalis have died within a span of three days. According to Giri prasad Acharya, the Labor Attaché at the Nepali Embassy in Kuwait, the deaths occurred due to the consumption of toxic alcohol. He shared this information with RatoPati on Friday.
According to him, more than 30 Nepali workers have fallen ill and are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Kuwait. He said that the Kuwaiti government has already provided the embassy with preliminary information on the matter and that detailed reports are still being collected.
He stated that alcohol is officially banned in Kuwait. However, illicit sales continue secretly, and consuming such alcohol has affected a large number of Nepalis.
“We are continuously in contact with Kuwaiti authorities and are in the process of gathering more details,” he said. He added that once all procedures are completed, the embassy will provide the necessary assistance to repatriate the bodies of the deceased to Nepal.
It is reported that currently around 130,000 Nepalis are working in Kuwait.
23 dead and over 160 sick
So far, 23 people have died. According to Kuwait’s Ministry of Health, more than 160 individuals have been receiving treatment since Saturday, most of whom are of Asian origin. The ministry reported that 31 patients are on ventilators, 51 require emergency kidney dialysis, and 21 have suffered permanent vision loss.
Many of the patients remain in intensive care, with doctors monitoring them around the clock. Authorities have urged anyone suspecting alcohol poisoning to immediately report to hospitals or hotlines. However, detailed information about the source of the contaminated alcohol has not been released, and investigations are ongoing.
The Indian Embassy in Kuwait reported that around 40 Indian citizens have been hospitalized, describing the incident as “unfortunate,” with some fatalities and several individuals in serious condition.
The illicit alcohol is believed to have originated from Al-Shuyoukh Block 4, an area known for black-market alcohol sales. Although Kuwait has banned the import and consumption of alcohol since 1964, illegal production and smuggling continue.
