Hayat Al-Fahad health status clarified following online 'fallacies'

Veteran Kuwaiti actress remains in intensive care in home country, statement confirms

Reports on Hayat Al Fahad's health status have been circulating online. Getty Images

Fans of Kuwaiti actress Hayat Al-Fahad, 77, have been urged to ignore online rumours and refer to her official Instagram account for accurate updates about her health.

The president of the Kuwaiti Union for Artistic and Theatrical Production and Entertainment Professionals has rebuffed online rumours that the actress, broadcaster, writer and producer travelled to London for treatment and confirmed instead that she remains in intensive care in Kuwait.

Several news sites have been reporting that Al-Fahad, who rose to fame on TV show Bu Jassum's Family in the 1960s, travelled to London to receive medical treatment after falling ill in August and had recently had her ventilator removed.

In an official statement, Khalid Al-Rashed, president of the Kuwaiti Union for Artistic and Theatrical Production and Entertainment Professionals, denied these reports, describing them as “fallacies”.

He added that the actress “has not left for London for treatment” and that she is “almost stable in intensive care in Kuwait”.

He confirmed that Al-Fahad underwent a catherization procedure at the end of July and was transferred to intensive care immediately afterwards.

Hayat Al Fahad with Emirati producer Yousif Alghaith on the set of Umm Haroun in Dubai. Reuters

“During the treatment and the repercussions of the stroke, she suffered a second stroke in the brain,” he added.

When she initially fell ill, a post on her official Instagram account in August asked for fans' prayers and announced she is “going through a health condition.”

Posts since then have continued to call for prayers and hope, but no updates on her condition have been announced on her social media accounts.

In the discredited reported circulating on Friday, it was also claimed Al-Rashed had suffered both mentally and physically due to “negative campaigns” on social media, which worsened her health. No further details on such campaigns were given.

However, the actress did come under fire during the Covid-19 pandemic for comments made about foreign nationals living in Gulf states during the pandemic. Just a few weeks later, a Ramadan series she starred in, Um Haroon, found itself in hot water over its portrayal of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

During her seven-decade career, Al-Fahad has appeared in over 50 TV series and movies, including Khalti Qumasha, Ruqiya wa Sabika, Jarh Al Zaman, and 'ndama Tu'Gany Al Zuhor.