“Yes we do admit the deficiency in the number of incubators in Jeddah despite the rising need for them,” Health Affairs Director for Jeddah Sami Badawood told Arab News.

“However, when there are no vacancies in government hospitals we solve the problem by transferring prematurely born babies to private hospitals. We also pay the charges.”

Badawood said the lack of trained staff was a major obstacle preventing hospitals from installing large numbers of incubators.

“An incubator each needs to be monitored by four nurses while three incubators are supervised by one doctor. We have enough doctors but not enough trained nurses to monitor incubators, which need constant and careful attention,” Badawood said.

He added that his department was trying its best to solve the shortage.  He said that 40 incubators would be installed at the Women’s and Maternity Hospital within the next few weeks. Steps are also under way to install 60 incubators in two new hospitals that should be built in Jeddah within 18 months.

He asked residents to contact him if their local health department was not taking the necessary steps to provide facilities for premature babies.

The government aims to cover the expenses for incubators for prematurely born Saudi babies, even in private hospitals. However, a huge gap in supply and demand still remains.

Jeddah-based Saudi citizen Abu Abdullah said his prematurely born baby needed to be kept in an incubator over three months.

He looked for an incubator in all government hospitals, including military hospitals, but could not find a place for his child.

Finally he found an incubator at a private hospital in Jeddah, which cost him up to SR4,000 a day. Sadly however, it appears Abu Abdullah’s case is not an isolated one.