JEDDAH, 10 May 2005 — Hospitals, both in government and private sectors, are now competing in terms of providing quality health care services. This follows the encouragement and facilities being extended by the Makkah governorate and its newly established Council for Health Care Service Development. Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed heads the council whose chief executive officer is Dr. Sultan Bahabri. It includes representatives of the government, the National Guard and private hospitals, as well as agencies pushing the Saudization program.
One of the measures introduced by the council is to enable hospitals raise their standards of service through its Makkah Region Quality Program (MRQP), which has been evolved from over 760 quality standards practiced worldwide.
The council conducted a monthlong survey of government and private hospitals in the Makkah region and after inspecting them and interacting with both medical and administrative staff recently announced a list of 10 top ranking medical facilities that have been accorded MRQP certification. Magrabi Hospitals and Centers, which is the recipient of certification, held a function to celebrate the achievement coinciding with its 50th anniversary at Crowne Plaza Hotel on Sunday night.
Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry Secretary-General Mohammed A. Al-Shareef, officials of the council, and doctors and paramedics were among those present.
Magrabi group’s Managing Director Mutasim M.Y.Z. Alireza said the hospital group could attain the landmark achievement in providing quality service, following Prince Abdul Majeed’s encouragement to bring about all-round progress and standards in providing health care.
“The council accords top priority to the implementation of standard practices and the standards laid down by it are comprehensive that match their international counterparts, especially those of the United States,” Alireza said, adding that the council’s members visited all public and private sector hospitals in the Makkah region in a month in a bid to assess the implementation of quality standards and regulations.
The council panel considered education and training as among the most important aspects of hospital administration and has said in its remarks that the Kingdom provides the best medical facilities in the Middle East, according to Alireza. He said there had been an estimated investment of SR50 billion in health care facilities, of which SR15 billion, or 30 percent, is in the private sector.
There are 20 medical institutions run by the Magrabi group, which now exist in various parts of the Gulf and Middle East.
