JEDDAH, 23 December 2006 — Private hospitals across Jeddah and Taif have been short of vital medicines and injections for months jeopardizing the quality of treatment that patients potentially receive.
A source at a private hospital in Jeddah recently told Al-Watan newspaper that hospitals have requested medicines from the Health Ministry on a number of occasions but have so far received nothing.
Hospitals are also in dire need of anti-vomiting medicine, a type of blood liquefacient called “isoputuevol,” and injections used against snake and scorpion bites.
Zaid Al-Khaldi, a Saudi citizen from Jeddah, said many hospitals receive medicines regularly from the Health Ministry.
“There are many hospitals that receive their medicines and are even overstocked. This is while other private hospitals cannot find the necessary medicine. This is such a shame,” he said, adding that the problem also causes the price of medicines to fluctuate.
What is even more alarming is the fact that there is a lack of children’s injections to fight off common infections. According to a source, some of these medicines have not been distributed for months and that injections for tuberculosis have been missing for eight months now.
Responding to the allegations, the Health Ministry said that the required medicines are presently available and ready for distribution; nevertheless many hospitals say they still have not received anything.
The source also added that there are alternative medicines available; nevertheless these medicines are not as effective as the standard medicines and have potential side effects.
The source emphasized the need for correct medicines to be given to patients.
According to another source, clinics and health centers in Taif also lack necessary medicines including insulin. The shortage of these medicines has caused people to buy them at high prices from private pharmacies.
Abdulhadi Al-Sifani feels that pharmacies should be shut down if they do not stock vital medicines.
“The number of patients surpasses that of available medicines. There is such a long list of procedures that a particular brand of medicine has to go through before it reaches a patient,” he said.
“The medicine needs to be registered, priced, produced, supervised, imported, stored and then distributed. This is a long process and at the end of the day the patient has to just sit around waiting,” he added.
Dr. Talal Kharima, the head of the Department of Health Affairs in Taif, said that they have ordered hospitals and health clinics to inform them about medicines that they need.
“We have urged people to issue formal complaints and tell us about the medicines that they cannot get hold of so we can provide them with these medicines,” he said, adding that the Department of Health Affairs in Taif is the first department in the Kingdom to implement wireless technology to improve contact with pharmacies in order to ensure stocks are delivered.
Meanwhile, a source from the Health Affairs Department in Baha told Al-Watan that there is an abundance of medicines in Baha and there are no shortages.
