JEDDAH, 30 October 2006 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah formally inaugurated the 300-bed state-of-the-art International Medical Center at an impressive ceremony here yesterday.
In attendance at the opening of the beautifully-designed SR500 million private hospital in Jeddah’s upscale Ruwais district were Cabinet ministers, diplomats, foreign dignitaries, civic officials, businessmen and prominent residents of the city.
King Abdullah commended the private sector for what he described as its tremendous contribution to the health sector. The king thanked all those associated with the high-tech hospital. “I wish them every success,” he said.
Underlining the efforts of Saudi businessmen and doctors in carrying out huge medical projects in the Kingdom, King Abdullah said: “This reflects their strong faith in God, their nation and humanity. These efforts are not at all surprising, coming as they are from the sons of Saudi Arabia.”
Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie reiterated the government’s support for such health projects. The new hospital, he said, would provide high quality medical services of international standard.
The young and ebullient Dr. Walid Fitaihi, the chief executive officer and the main force behind the hospital, the first-of-its-kind in Saudi Arabia, was the cynosure of all eyes.
“It is a dream come true,” an elated Dr. Fitaihi told reporters later. “It took seven long years for it to materialize. Though the planning took a lot of time, the actual construction took just about three years,” he said.
“We think of ourselves as a paradigm shift in health care delivery in terms of standards,” he said, adding “We want this to be a place that people know, trust and feel comfortable in as patients.”
“This is why we teamed up with the Cleveland Clinic which is known worldwide for its history, ethics and its leadership in all specialties of medicine, especially heart surgery.” Cleveland Clinic is ranked as one of the top three hospitals in the US.
The IMC-Cleveland Clinic partnership includes know-how, policy, procedures, expertise, training, telemedicine, referrals and second opinions. “It is a unique partnership and one key advantage of working with the foundation is that qualified physicians who had their training in the US can become clinical affiliates for Cleveland Clinic and can apply for research grants there under the partnership umbrella,” Dr. Fitaihi added.
Dr. Delos M. Cosgrove, the chief executive officer of Cleveland Clinic and a very well-known cardiac surgeon, said he was proud of the prestigious American hospital’s association with the IMC. “These are mission-driven people,” he said, referring to Dr. Fitaihi and his team of doctors.
“We are very careful with who we are associated with,” he said. “We have had offers from nearly 25 countries to partner with. This is going to be the biggest partnership in the Middle East,” Dr. Cosgrove pointed out.
Dr. Cosgrove, who has performed over 20,000 surgical procedures and has become a world-renowned expert in the field of heart valve repair, said it was important to point out that most of the doctors at the IMC have worked at Cleveland Clinic. “So they have a good idea about the efforts that go into becoming the best medical facility in the world. These are talented people and IMC will become the best facility too,” he said.
“A successful project,” Dr. Cosgrove said, “is a combination of two things: physical structure and human beings. We have a wonderful structure at IMC complete with the most modern facilities and also individuals with very high credentials. Remember, great physicians and great scientists make great hospitals.”
About the key role teleconferencing and telecommunications are playing in the world of medicine, Dr. Cosgrove said: “I always believed that learning should go to doctors rather than doctors going to learning. Thanks to modern innovations, physical distances don’t mean much. It is pretty easy to disseminate information in a matter of minutes. With teleconferencing you can direct an operation hundreds of miles away. At IMC, this technology is going to be widely used.”
According to Dr. Fitaihi, the challenge has just begun. “Now comes the real work. We want to deliver all that we have promised. I am confident and my confidence stems from the excellent team of doctors and experts that we have at the center. I want every patient to leave our hospital completely healed and smiling. I want to see them smile,” he said.
Dr. Fitaihi praised all the individuals who invested in the project even before the building was erected. “All the investors knew what it meant to add value to society, so their main objective was never to maximize profits but to be proud of their investment,” Dr. Fitaihi said, adding: “They (the investors) were involved in all stages of the project.”
The facility, which cost more than SR500 million, includes a pharmacy, rehabilitation center, health clubs, an auditorium, learning centers for patient use, and a cafeteria. There are many centers of excellence: diabetes treatment and management, women’s health and pediatrics.
Ever since the hospital building was first erected, it has been the talk of the town. It has been rightly described as an architectural wonder and a prominent landmark.
“It is beautiful, functional, with attention to detail, service and quality... It creates an atmosphere of dignity, beauty and regality,” said one guest. The building was designed by one of the Arab world’s leading architects, Dr. Sami Angawi. He was on hand to explain the concept of the building’s design. “This is not just a building. It is a dream,” said Dr. Angawi.
“Architects are like interpreters of dreams. We try to give shape to our dreams. The message behind this wonderful structure is to convey the beauty of our Islamic heritage. We have tried to fuse modern technology with traditional Islamic design in order to convey a sense of continuity and a sense of our pride in our heritage,” he said. “Today, I am giving my dream away to other people.”
