JEDDAH, 22 December 2002 — A Saudi company specialized in health care services plans to establish two hospitals in Jeddah and Riyadh to treat chronic diseases which are not covered by medical insurance but are commonly found in the Kingdom and its neighboring Arab countries, Al-Watan reported yesterday.
A special feature of the proposed hospitals, to be built in collaboration with a European medical equipment manufacturing company, is that poor patients will be allowed to pay their bills in installments.
The Saudi company, which did not want to be named, will shortly issue appeals to domestic and foreign investors to fund the proposed venture for which feasibility studies are under way.
The studies on technical and engineering aspects of the hospitals are expected to be completed by the end of 2003.
While the initial expenses of the company are estimated at SR150 million, the land price, construction and equipment cost together will work out to about SR1billion, Al-Watan said.
The proposed hospitals are expected to offer specialized treatment for diseases outside the scope of medical insurance, such as heart diseases, cancer, hepatitis, diabetes, blood pressure and various blood diseases in addition to the endemic diseases of the region.
The hospitals will serve both Saudis and expatriates with an installment option for the poor among the communities.
The installments should be settled in two years and the bill should not exceed SR 50,000.
The hospitals also aim to serve pilgrims and visitors to the holy places under certain conditions.
