ABHA: Shoura Council Member Abdullah Al-Tuwairqi, who this past week demanded the resignation of Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie for the inefficiency and corruption in his ministry, dismissed the media suggestion that he made the charge because of a personal grudge.
“It is a ploy to divert public attention away from the main issue of corruption and inefficiency,” Al-Tuwairqi told Arab News yesterday.
“A member will not stand up on the floor of the Shoura Council and demand a minister’s dismissal without strong evidence,” he added.
The local media had reported that the Shoura member wanted to settle accounts with the minister for the denial of a promotion to his brother, Dr. Faisal Al-Tuwairqi, working at the ministry’s regional offices in Makkah province.
But Abdullah said he did not have any personal grudge against the minister though it was true that his brother was denied his eligible promotion and he was promoted only after the intervention of Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal.
However, it was the issue of the denied promotion that led him to some documents proving corruption at the ministry, the member said.
Abdullah did not elaborate on this evidence, but said he was willing to stand before the highest court to prove his charges against the ministry.
“There are several others, including the National Society for Human Rights, talking about the ministry’s failures. The ministry has not so far replied to the 12 questions the rights body asked it, according to the chairman of the society, Bandar Al-Hajjar.”
Abdullah also accused the ministry of not implementing a six-year-old national health strategy; of nepotism for appointments to higher positions and promotions; for the increasing incidents of medical malpractice; and a shortage of essential medicines.
Several other members too have expressed their displeasure at what they have characterized as the poor shape of the ministry.
Aamir Al-Waihaq demanded that medical services should be provided in a fair manner to patients, while Abdullah Bukhari said patients in government hospitals were facing a shortage of beds.
Abdullah Al-Tuwairqi also said that there are several other departments that required scrutiny, including the Ministry of Civil Service and the Control and Investigation Board.
