Ministry of Health closes 280 health facilities in five years

CLOSED FOR BUSINESS: The ministry announced the closure of 59 health facilities and drugstore in March 2014, after detecting more than 250 violations. (SPA)

RIAYDH: Although the decision of the Health Ministry to close Kingdom hospital in Riyadh received extensive media coverage and unprecedented public debate on social media for having the boldness to take the decision, the reality is that the sector has been suffering for years now, a local newspaper reported.

During the last five years, from 2012 until 2016, the Ministry of Health issued decisions to close up to 280 health facilities, including hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and others (about 56 health facilities annually).
The closed hospital belongs to Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and it is the first time a hospital this size has been closed. Even some activists on social media described the closure decision as “Al-Rabiah Tsunami.”
But the reaction of Prince Alwaleed was positive when he welcomed the decision saying in a tweet on his account that “No one is above the law.”
The closed health facilities were across all regions, including Riyadh, the Eastern Province, Asir, Makkah and Qasim.
In April 2012, the Jazan health department closed a medical complex following a number of violations; on 24/6/2012 Buraideh issued a decision to close a health center because of the shortfall in the clinics’ equipment, and the staff was working without certificates for practicing the profession.
The General Directorate for Health Affairs in Riyadh closed a very large hospital on 4/7/2012 after recording 17 violations.
On 15/7/ 2012 in Jeddah, the health department in the city closed a private clinic specializing in laser cosmetic treatment, for operating without a license, the same month the department closed a center for dental care because the staff was working without professional licensing.
On Aug. 1 of the same year, the Ministry of Health announced it was shutting down 16 private medical complexes in Riyadh because of the shortage of medical equipment, and the facilities did not comply with the requirements to properly dispose of medical waste. Two days later, the ministry announced it had imposed fines, since the beginning of February until July, on 20 medical complexes with sums amounting from SR10,000 to SR90,000, with a total exceeding SR520,000.
On Sept. 2, 2012, the Jeddah health department closed a medical complex because it employed a female doctor not carrying a medical license, in addition to employing three nurses without professional licenses.
In November 2012, a decision was issued to close nine private medical facilities in Riyadh for a number of violations including working without obtaining a license, or having expired permits, besides employing unauthorized health practitioners.
In mid-January 2013 the ministry closed 10 medical complexes in Riyadh for not providing medical services in accordance with health standards.
The health department in the Eastern Province on 13/3/2013 closed nine drugstores and health facilities because of medical errors and irregularities.
The same day the Riyadh health department closed 19 facilities for precautionary reasons because the staff lacked professional licensing, and other irregularities.
Qassim also witnessed, during the first half of 2013, the implementation of 444 inspection campaigns by the private health department in the region, which resulted in issuing 21 decisions to impose fines totaling SR253,500 because of irregularities. Three health facilities and 17 departments were closed as a result.
In May 2013, Riyadh health department closed 13 private medical facilities due to a number of irregularities.
Inspection tours led by department since early January of 2013, resulted in closing 18 health facilities in Jeddah, and the detection of 120 unlicensed doctors practicing the profession. The Health Ministry closed, during Ramadan and Shawwal of 2013, a total of 34 health facilities and 11 drugstores, because of 172 and 156 violations committed by the health facilities and the pharmacies respectively.
The ministry also imposed punitive measures on a medical warehouse in Jeddah, imposing a fine of SR100,000 for opening the warehouse in a residential apartment and selling medical products before acquiring the necessary permits. The Asir health department closed, during the same year, a number of private health and pharmaceutical facilities, and imposed fines totaling SR900,000.
The ministry announced the closure of 59 health facilities and drugstore in March 2014, after detecting more than 250 violations.
Riyadh health also closed, in November 2015, a total of 15 medical complexes and five pharmacies because of grave violations, and imposed fines. The department also closed 42 medical complexes, including one that operated a liposuction procedure on a female citizen, which led to her death.