The Ministry of Health (MoH) shut down five health facilities, including three dental clinics and two polyclinics, in Riyadh on Tuesday for violating health regulations.

According to an MoH official, the clinics did not comply with the ministry’s health regulations and had failed to employ competent personnel to handle various departments.

The ministry also imposed a fine of SR10,000 on a pharmacy, which was selling expired products and operating without a qualified pharmacist, he said.

According to another MoH official, the ministry ordered the closure of these facilities based on the findings of a field inspection team.

The team conducts regular inspection of health facilities in the region. Other factors included working without licenses or functioning with expired permits, lacking in trained medical staff and the absence of proper facilities and equipment. The closure of some of these centers is only temporary and they can be reopened once the irregularities are rectified, he added.

He warned that negligence and recklessness on the part of health providers will not be tolerated by the government and that stern action will be taken against such violators.

“We consider the private sector as strategic partners in providing health services to the people and we want them to offer quality services with a ‘patients first’ vision in their ventures,” the official said.

He said Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeh values such partnerships as strategic in helping take health care quality to new heights.

In 2012, Al-Rabeeah launched a “Patients First” program, which highlighted the care expected from health providers for patients.

MoH shut down 34 health firms and 11 pharmacies across the Kingdom for alleged irregularities during the two months leading up to the holy month of Ramadan.

Last year, the MoH closed down 30 medical complexes, 15 polyclinics, 29 pharmacies, 27 optical houses and five physiotherapy centers for violations. During the same period, the ministry also collected SR3.75 million in fines from such violators, which included SR1.98 million from pharmacies.

Blurb: Negligence on the part of health providers will not be tolerated and stern action will be taken against such violators.