JEDDAH, 13 October 2007 — The Patients’ Friends Committee in the Eastern Province, which celebrated its silver jubilee recently, has so far contributed more than SR370 million to support patients and hospitals in the region, according to Dr. Aqeel ibn Jamaan Al-Ghamdi, chairman of the committee.
“Last year alone the committee supported a program to treat 100 kidney patients in the region,” he told a ceremony at the Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry, marking the committee’s 25th anniversary.
Eastern Province Deputy Gov. Prince Jalawi ibn Abdul Aziz ibn Musaed, who was the chief guest at the function, commended the committee members, mostly businessmen, for their tremendous contributions toward promoting health services in the region.
The committee was instrumental in providing advanced medical equipment required by hospitals in the Eastern Province. Its members also visit patients admitted at hospitals in the region to inquire about their condition and provide them with necessary assistance.
“The charitable health projects being carried out by the committee reflect the virtues of Muslim society,” the deputy governor said.
He hoped the committee would continue its pioneering efforts in the service of patients and developing health facilities in the region, in coordination with the Health Ministry and the chamber of commerce.
“We hope that the committee will continue its services with the same spirit and enthusiasm by implementing more charitable health projects,” the prince said.
During the ceremony, Dr. Abdullah Al-Saihati, chairman of the Saihati Group of Companies, one of the leading business groups in the region, announced a contribution of SR10 million to establish a center for treating kidney patients at Qateef Central Hospital.
“I am extremely delighted being part of this charitable organization that supports patients as well as hospitals and other public health facilities,” Saihati told Arab News. “We have engaged in this charitable activity to win the pleasure and reward of God and not to make any material gains,” he added.
The committee was established in 1982 to promote cooperation and mutual assistance among members of society and improve health services in the region by establishing advanced medical centers.
“We have contributed to building the medical tower project which replaces the Central Dammam Hospital,” Al-Ghamdi said, adding that the medical tower would officially open next month.
Committee members including Abdul Aziz Al-Turki, Saihati, Essam Al-Muhaideb, Fawaz Al-Khudhri and Ahmed Al-Zamil recently visited several hospitals in the province to inquire about the welfre of patients and extend Eid Al-Fitr greetings to them. They also offered finance assistance to meet requirements of these hospitals.
The committee members donated generously to purchase medical requirements of some hospitals. Turki gave SR400,000 to Qateef Central Hospital and King Fahd University Hospital, Muhaideb donated SR350,000 for Dammam Central Hospital and Dhahran General Hospital while Khudhri gave SR300,000 to Maternity and Children’s Hospital in Dammam and Saihati SR150,000 to Qateef Central Hospital.
During the event, Prince Jalawi honored a number of businessmen in the region for their support to the committee.
