RIYADH, 8 July — The Ministry of Health has imposed tighter restrictions on recruitment of expatriates to work in the ministry’s branch offices, hospitals and primary health care centers around the country.
Authorities have announced plans to create 4,000 jobs for Saudis in the health sector next year. “A number of plans and programs have been chalked out to Saudize jobs in the health sector,” a senior ministry official said.
Dr. Sultan Bahbary, secretary-general of the Health Services Council, said the council would facilitate employment of thousands of Saudis in “an ever-expanding network of MoH facilities.”
The health sector is one of the areas which have potential to absorb the growing number of Saudi job-seekers. The Ministry of Health alone runs over 300 hospitals and 2,330 primary health care centers. Besides, there are 75 major private hospitals and nearly 600 licensed clinics.
A big majority of workers in these hospitals and healthcare centers are foreigners. Some major hospital projects, to be undertaken under the current Five-Year Development Plan, will also create thousands of job opportunities for Saudis.
A mandatory but gradual program to phase out foreign workers from the health sector will give a major boost to the national Saudization plan.
Dr. Bahbary said “a program will be initiated to evaluate quality standards for health services in the Kingdom”. Saudi Arabia has spent more than SR64 billion so far to develop its health sector.
