JEDDAH: The Ministry of Health has designated north Jeddah’s King Saud Hospital as the health facility where all medical complaints relating to the Jeddah floods should be referred to.
“Minister of Health Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah’s decision to set apart King Saud Hospital for flood-related cases is aimed at reducing crowding in other hospitals and contain the spread of infections that may break out in the flood-hit areas,” said Director of the Health Affairs Department in Jeddah Sami Badawood.
He added that the King Saud Hospital was designated to handle swine flu cases during the Haj season.
“The 100-bed King Saud Hospital has a sufficient number of doctors and support staff in addition to advanced laboratories to handle critical health situations, particularly infections,” he said.
“Twenty-five beds are set apart for intensive care. The facility also has laboratories that are capable of identifying viruses that cause infections and contagious diseases,” said Badawood.
He added that the move is one of several adopted by the Ministry of Health to improve health condition in Jeddah.
He said the ministry’s mobile medical units visited 682 families comprising 3,245 persons at several refuge centers for victims of the floods, while stationary units treated 2,157 cases.
The cases treated by the units were mainly conditions related to diabetes, blood pressure and asthma, and some cases of people with psychological problems.
The units also distributed glucose meters and insulin syringes to diabetics, and bedsheets and carpets to others. Sick children were given toys, toothpaste and milk, he added.
