JEDDAH, 6 March 2004 — An Institute for Health Services is being established by a consortium of hospitals in Jeddah. The institute will train Saudi high school graduates as technicians in various medical specialties. One hundred graduates will be enrolled in September to enter a two-and-a-half-year associates degree program. As 100 students go into their second year, 100 new students will begin the first-year course. In the first year, 50 women will be trained as nurses and 50 men as radiographic and optical technicians. Private hospitals and health providers have supported the project with a capital of SR1.44 million. Abdul Latif Jameel has donated land for the institute, which has links with the Miami-Dade Community College for Allied Health Services in the US state of Florida. Chaired by Dr. Akef El Maghraby of Maghrabi Hospitals and Centers, the board includes Abdul Latif Jameel Hospital, International Medical Center, New Jeddah Clinic Hospital, Maghrabi Optical Company, Dr. Erfan and Bagedo General Hospital, United Doctors Hospital, Bakhsh Hospital, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Ghassan N. Pharaon General Hospital.
The institute’s operating fund, including SR18,000 per student per year, is expected to be financed by the government fund for Saudization. “However, students will be charged a nominal fee,” Rina Spence, health services consultant at ALJ and institute project coordinator, told Arab News.
