RIYADH: The Health Ministry has still not implemented a comprehensive strategy for the country, according to a member of the Shoura Council’s health committee, a local publication reported Wednesday.
Muhsin Al-Hazimi said the strategy, to cover primary, general and specialized care, has been drafted by experts, referred to the Shoura and approved by the king, but has still not seen the light of day.
Al-Hazimi said that the plan includes the provision of complete care in all the country’s provinces, which would eradicate the need to refer patients to other hospitals away from their homes, mostly in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam. The current situation was causing considerable suffering to patients in terms of cost and traveling, he said.
He added that many facilities across the country lack equipment such as insulators for X-ray machines, laboratories, and diagnostic and therapeutic devices, and rooms to isolate patients. Hospitals also do not have special infrastructure for water, gases and suitable disposal of medical waste. This was placing workers and patients at risk of picking up diseases, he said.
He said the ministry must make sure that it can provide all these services needed. A particular problem was that the Saudi Health Council was not independent from the ministry and is asked to assess services offered by the state. This body must be allowed to operate with complete autonomy so that it can provide proper assessments, he said.
However, he said he was confident that Vision 2030 would resolve many of these issues over the next few years. He said the ministry is doing a good job but there needs to be a greater focus on training and evacuation procedures during emergencies.
Al-Hazimi said the Shoura was ready to question Health Minister Khalid Al-Falih about his plans to transform the health sector. The public would also be allowed to ask the minister questions through the Shoura’s website, he was quoted as saying.
Muhsin Al-Hazimi said the strategy, to cover primary, general and specialized care, has been drafted by experts, referred to the Shoura and approved by the king, but has still not seen the light of day.
Al-Hazimi said that the plan includes the provision of complete care in all the country’s provinces, which would eradicate the need to refer patients to other hospitals away from their homes, mostly in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam. The current situation was causing considerable suffering to patients in terms of cost and traveling, he said.
He added that many facilities across the country lack equipment such as insulators for X-ray machines, laboratories, and diagnostic and therapeutic devices, and rooms to isolate patients. Hospitals also do not have special infrastructure for water, gases and suitable disposal of medical waste. This was placing workers and patients at risk of picking up diseases, he said.
He said the ministry must make sure that it can provide all these services needed. A particular problem was that the Saudi Health Council was not independent from the ministry and is asked to assess services offered by the state. This body must be allowed to operate with complete autonomy so that it can provide proper assessments, he said.
However, he said he was confident that Vision 2030 would resolve many of these issues over the next few years. He said the ministry is doing a good job but there needs to be a greater focus on training and evacuation procedures during emergencies.
Al-Hazimi said the Shoura was ready to question Health Minister Khalid Al-Falih about his plans to transform the health sector. The public would also be allowed to ask the minister questions through the Shoura’s website, he was quoted as saying.
