RIYADH — The Ministry of Health announced that it would increase salaries for all public hospital workers in a move to put all health care workers in Saudi Arabia at the same pay scale as the Kingdom’s top hospitals.
“The ministry has revised the salary structure of all health officials working in government hospitals to be on par with the their counterparts in specialized hospitals, such as the National Guard Health Affairs and the Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital,” Health Ministry spokesman Dr. Khaled Al-Mirghalani told Arab News yesterday.
He said the decision has been made following recommendations by a sub-committee appointed by Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie to study salaries of health workers employed in 230 public hospitals.
Mirghalani pointed out that the pay hike would benefit all Saudi and expatriate doctors, nurses, pharmacists, technicians and other staff working in all government hospitals in the country. The spokesman did not provide any figures.
As a next step, Mirghalani said his ministry would consult the finance and civil service ministries for its necessary implementation.
The spokesman explained that the move is being made to make the government health institutions equally attractive as the specialized hospitals and private hospitals.
“We know that those hospitals have regular salary increases, incentives and handsome housing allowances,” Mirghalani said. “The move is aimed at attracting more local and foreign medical consultants and specialists required by the Kingdom’s hospitals.”
