AN Egyptian doctor who, before his deportation, worked at a private hospital in Jeddah was pressured by his hospital to increase his workload and generate profit at the expense of patients.
To make money, the hospital management directed the doctor to carry out detailed lab tests and X-rays even when patients did not actually require them.
We all know that such hospital requests are not rare in Saudi Arabia. Public health awareness is not very high and there is no government department assigned with the task of protecting patients from extortion and embezzlement that happens under the eyes and nose of the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Abdul Haleem was honest and had a conscience. On several occasions he refused to listen to the management’s instructions. The doctor’s decision not to cheat his patients angered the Saudi owner of the hospital, who then pressured him in collusion with officials in the Health Affairs Department.
As the hospital owner was well connected, he delayed the doctor’s salary for over six months and then got him deported.
There are many doctors working in the Kingdom with fake certificates or with certificates that are not up to the Kingdom’s standards.
I once asked the head of the Health Affairs in Jeddah, why his department fails to act when an honest doctor provides information about corruption and mismanagement at a hospital.
I asked how the Health Affairs Department could keep silent about violations and then brag about quality of health care.
