JEDDAH: The Health Ministry has forecast revenue of SR4 billion by 2020 because of a major financial overhaul that includes implementation of an insurance system, attracting new investments, and raising funds from conferences and exhibitions, local media reported Friday.

This is according to Aqab Abboud, supervisor of the ministry’s health economics department, who said that revenue was only SR30 million seven years ago. It grew to SR350 million in 2015, and likely to rise to SR500 million at the end of this year, he said.

“We are racing against time across all districts to align our efforts with Vision 2030, especially regarding the application of the Cooperative Health Insurance System at all the ministry’s hospitals, medical cities, clinics, laboratories, heart centers and poison centers,” he said.

“Approval from the Cooperative Health Council, training of employees, development of the electronic financial system, and preparation of sites is all being done in parallel,” he was quoted as saying.

He said more than 84 health facilities have been adopted, and training sessions held for employees and directors of hospitals and health affairs directorates in Madinah, Makkah, Riyadh, the Eastern Province, Qassim and Jeddah.

Workshops were also held at the Cooperative Health Council with a number of insurance company representatives to establish mechanisms and pricing. He said three training courses for three groups would be held, each including 100 trainees from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam over the next month.

He said that funding of health care has been a major problem affecting countries across the globe. This was why the ministry had established its health economics unit years ago to look at finding a variety of funding sources to ensure sustainable development of services.

The government recently placed former commerce minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah at the helm of the Health Ministry, a move seen by observers to help oversee the transition. Al-Rabiah has been hailed for his achievements at his previous job.

Citizens took to Twitter last week listing their concerns and grievances, including upgrading facilities, boosting primary health care, tackling infectious diseases and preventing high staff turnover.

Many new graduates are looking to Al-Rabiah to provide them with jobs, as promised to them by previous incumbents; while those employed want a review of pay levels and benefits. Another hot topic is the exodus of medical and nursing staff from government hospitals to better paying jobs in the private sector.

Citizens are also eager for the minister to deal with medical errors at public hospitals and to issue “rapid and impartial decisions.” They also want urgent solutions to long waiting periods for appointments, and insurance that can cover all their costs at hospitals in the country.