JEDDAH: As part of its growing supervisory and investigative status, Riyadh Health Department’s forensics center examined 632 cases over the past eight months involving suspected murder, rape and abuse of women and children.

Khaled bin Muhammad Hassan Jaber, director general of the center, said the facility’s relationship with other bodies, primarily the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution, had grown stronger.

The body is tasked with properly reviewing all cases sent to it, and ensuring its reports are sent to the directors of police stations in the region, Jaber was quoted as saying recently in a local publication.

Jaber said the center must determine whether reports are accurate and provide an exact description of injuries, in line with the anatomical facts. “Such process will ensure confidence in the quality of the reports,” he said.

He said the department currently holds daily, weekly and monthly meetings, which did not occur previously. These meetings are important to ensure doctors are working together in a professional and cooperative manner. They are open to interns, he said.

He said the new method of work needs to be monitored to ensure it operates efficiently. However, doctors must make sure they continue to complete the tasks assigned to them.

There also needs to be further improvements to the system including introducing an integrated written record of all procedures.