RIYADH: The Ministry of Health has launched a SR 600 million project to build maternity hospitals in Riyadh, Asir, Dammam, Al-Hasa and Jeddah.
Dr. Aqeel Al-Ghamdi, assistant deputy health minister for hospital affairs made the announcement yesterday.
Dr. Al-Ghamdi said, “This initiative will help overcome the current shortage of beds in intensive care units for newborns. The ministry has allocated an additional SR 200 million to improve neonatal intensive care units in other hospitals in the Kingdom.
“As part of the ministry’s national strategic plan, we are making every effort to update maternity hospitals and in particular, neonatal intensive care and maternity emergency departments.
The ten-year national plan, initiated by Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah two years ago is based on fulfilling the health needs of citizens and residents.
Dr. Al-Ghamdi said when intensive care units experience bed shortages due to high newborn rates; patients would be transferred to other maternity hospitals.
In other news, the first meeting of regional coordinators of the Medical Support Program was held in Riyadh on Monday, with Dr. Al-Ghamdi in attendance.
Dr. Abdullah bin Mohamed Al-Wade’I, director general of specialized centers and visiting physicians affairs said the meeting focused on the deployment of visiting physicians to meet demand across the regions.
“Visiting physicians who work on a temporary or permanent basis play a significant role in providing health care services and reducing referrals to other regions,” he said
Since it’s introduction two years ago, the Medical Support Program has attracted physicians from renowned international institutions around the world. To date, 566 Saudi and 687 physicians from Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan and the United States work in the Kingdom’s remotest regions.
5 new maternity hospitals to be launched
