JEDDAH, 31 March 2007 — The Ministry of Health is planning to develop primary health centers (PHCs) into mini hospitals with advanced facilities, Al-Madinah newspaper reported yesterday quoting a high-level source.
The mini hospitals to be opened in different regions will have facilities such as X-ray units and laboratories and will be manned by consultants. The source said the move would reduce pressure on general hospitals. The ministry currently runs 1,850 health centers Kingdomwide.
The move comes in the backdrop of plans to privatize state-owned hospitals and bring them under companies or groups, after separating them from the ministry.
Dr. Khaled Mirghalani, spokesman of the Health Ministry, said the ministry would continue to run the country’s primary health care centers, provide child and mother care and take steps for protection against chronic and contagious diseases.
He also disclosed plans to establish a national cooperative fund to provide free health insurance coverage to all citizens. He said the country’s seven million expatriates would be provided health care through insurance companies.
