During the months of Ramadan and Shawwal
of this year (1434H), the Ministry of Health (MOH) has closed 34
private health installations of various kinds, and 11 pharmacies in a
number of the Kingdom’s regions; due to their violation of the
regulations. The number of irregularities observed on the private health
installations has reached 172 irregularities; that is to be added to
156 irregularities in the pharmacies.
Furthermore, the Medical Irregularities
Committees and Legitimate Health Authorities have observed 130
irregularities, practiced by the medical and technical cadres working in
the private health sector within the same period.
For his part, the Assistant Deputy
Minister for the Private Health Sector Affairs, Dr. Ali Al-Zawawi, has
commended the key role assumed by the private health sector, considering
it the MOH's major partner in providing health services.
Meanwhile, he has encouraged workers in
the private sector to spare no effort to improve the health services
provided for citizens and residents, saying, this will contribute to
pushing the health work march in the Kingdom forward, under the
unstinting support granted by the Government of the Custodian of the Two
Holy Mosques, May Allah protect him, to improve the level of
performance at health facilities.
Within the same vein, Dr. Al-Zawawi has
underscored that MOH keeps, through its various competent committees, on
monitoring and inspecting all services provided in the health sector;
in order to ensure the compliance of all health installations with the
required regulations and standards, in a manner that ensures rendering
services for patients and visitors of these installations, as well as
providing high quality services that meet their health needs.
It is worth mentioning that the Ministry
of Health, emanating from its responsibility for the level of
performance in the private health sector, gives the tasks of monitoring
and inspection a top priority; in order to ensure the implementation of
the provisions of rules and regulations and to maintain safety and
security of the service provided for the patient.
The Ministry records such irregularities
through the periodic follow-up tours performed by the inspection
committees at the health affairs directorates, as well as the sudden
tours, or when it receives a complaint from the citizens or via the MOH
portal's service of “Citizen’s Voice” available on the following link:
www.moh.gov.sa or by fax: 0112124196.
Furthermore, penal sanctions, whether by
fine, suspension from work, withdrawal of the license or temporary or
final closure, are taken against any irregularities performed by the
private health installations and pharmacies, or against the
irregularities related to the practice of health professions. The
sanction may include also expelling the offending health practitioner
from the country and depriving him of return to the Kingdom again. Such
procedures give a true indication for the seriousness of the Ministry
and the Health Affairs Directorates in controlling and redressing any
deficiencies in the health services provided in the private health
sector.