RIYADH, 4 July 2007 — The Health Ministry has signed a deal to establish eight new diabetic centers costing SR42 million in various towns across the Kingdom next year, the Health Ministry announced on Sunday.
Deputy Minister of Health for Executive Affairs Mansoor Al-Hawasi signed the deal with Al-Majal Arabian Group, which will overlook the establishment of the centers.
“The deal to construct diabetic centers in our country is aimed at providing health services in all villages and towns in the Kingdom,” said Al-Hawasi, adding that the ministry has continued to develop health services in rural areas.
“We aim to provide total health care to all citizens and expatriates in our country,” he added.
The diabetic centers will be built at King Khaled Hospital in Hafr Al-Batin, King Abdullah Hospital in Bisha, King Khaled Hospital in Najran, King Fahd Hospital in Baha, King Faisal Hospital in Qurayat, Prince Abdul Rahman Al-Sudairi Hospital in Jouf, Arar Central Hospital as well as Qunfuda Central Hospital.
Maeed Al-Zahrani, chairman of the Al-Majal Arabian Group, said this was not the first project being undertaken by the group in conjunction with the Health Ministry. “We have implemented earlier projects for the ministry according to their standards. This has enabled both parties to establish a bond of trust,” he said.
In another development, the Health Ministry announced yesterday that it has extended the operational contract of the National Laboratory for Polio-Stricken Children for another term, which started in April 2007 and will continue until March next year.
The ministry said that the extension was based on a review by the regional bureau for laboratories for polio-stricken children in the World Health Organization.
Meanwhile, Assistant Deputy Minister for Laboratories and Blood Banks Abdullah Aldirees announced yesterday that a five-day course for laboratory specialists in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam, entitled “Evaluation of Medical Equipment and Laboratories” concluded yesterday. He added that the ministry aimed to centralize as well as unify examination methods in the ministry’s laboratories.
