RIYADH, 26 September 2004 — Some expatriates from South and Southeast Asia claiming to be doctors have been coming to the Kingdom with fake medical degrees.
Dr. Mogbil A. Al-Hedaithy, assistant secretary-general for professional affairs at the Saudi Council for Health Specialties, made the announcement at the 27th symposium organized by the Riyadh-based Pakistan Doctors Group. Pakistan’s Ambassador Abdul Aziz Mirza and a large gathering of Saudi and Pakistani doctors were present.
Dr. Al-Hedaithy, who is also a consultant on infectious diseases, spoke on “Infections in immuno-compromised host.” Dr. Naeem A. Chaudhri, consultant oncologist, delivered a talk on the incidence and management of leukemia.
Ambassador Mirza drew the attention of the Saudi Council to the problems being faced by Pakistani doctors. One of the problems is contract substitution, as a result of which these doctors are transferred to a different place soon after their posting in Riyadh, according to him.
During the question-answer session, a member of the audience said there was discrepancy in the salary structure for consultants and fellows of the Saudi Council for Health Specialties, especially in the case of Pakistanis.
Doctors applying for medical license in the Kingdom have to take the examination conducted by the health council, which also scrutinizes and attests the degree certificates. It is at this stage that fake certificates are detected.
Dr. Al-Hedaithy said the council is seeking to make medical malpractice insurance mandatory for all doctors in the Kingdom.
