“Hitherto, these doctors were given government quarters and those who did not get the housing facilities were put on waiting lists and not given housing allowances,” said Dr. Khalid Al-Mirghalani, spokesman for the Ministry of Health. He added that according to the new rule, Saudi doctors will be given a maximum housing allowance of SR50,000 if they do not get actual housing quarters.
The new rule will apply to all Saudi doctors including dentists and is being implemented according to a Cabinet decision taken last year.
Al-Mirghalani said Minister of Health Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah is keen to create a conducive working environment for doctors that would ultimately benefit patients. He added that the decision to pay housing allowances in cash was sequel to an agreement reached between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance. Al-Mirghalani said the rule does not apply to expatriate doctors since their work contract already includes housing facilities or allowances.
In May last year, a new pay scale for Saudi doctors and pharmacists offered a salary increase of up to 41 percent. According to the new scale, consultants received a pay rise of 30 percent, deputy doctors 16 percent, resident doctors 15 percent, consultant specialists 41 percent, senior specialists 25 percent, specialists 10 percent, technicians 10 percent and health assistants 10 percent.
The Cabinet decision standardized the salaries of employees in government hospitals and identified the benefits and incentives offered to specialists and those in rare specializations.
Meanwhile, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah commended Al-Rabeeah and his team on Sunday for their invaluable contribution in controlling infectious diseases in the Kingdom. The king conveyed the message after perusing the ministry’s annual report on parasitic and infectious diseases for 2009. The monarch also thanked health officials for their extraordinary efforts in effectively controlling infectious diseases.
Al-Rabeeah said that the annual report presented to the king outlined the efforts exerted by the ministry in controlling infectious diseases throughout the region and during the Haj and Umrah seasons. Some of the diseases that were brought under control were, swine flu, malaria, tuberculosis, dengue fever, meningitis, bird flu and rift valley fever.
