JEDDAH: The Ministry of Health has deployed unqualified medical professionals to monitor standards at private facilities because it does not have the staff to do so, a local publication claimed recently.

There were 1,500 technicians sent out into the field to perform these tasks, the report stated, quoting sources. There has recently been a high turnover of health supervisors at the ministry because of a lack of incentives and bonuses, the sources claimed. Technicians are not given any bonuses and incentives because they are not qualified to do this work, the report added.

The sources said that the ministry was in the process of introducing tougher penalties for violators of health regulations. “This follows many complaints received by health departments across the country about poor services at private health clinics,” the sources said.

These facilities also contravened hygiene rules, the sources said.

Mohammad Al-Ahdeeb, a health specialist, blamed the ministry for the poor supervision. “The ministry should entrust these functions to the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties which should form a committee with qualified people.”