The MOH Assistant Undersecretary of Primary Health Care, Dr. Mohamed bin Omar Ba-Solaiman, has stated that the healthcare services provided by health centers are currently witnessing momentous developmental paradigm shift, in terms of both services and infrastructure. A number of 749 health centers have been displaced to new governmental buildings, along with equipping them with state-of-the-art medical and non-medical equipments. That's to be added to reinforcing the manpower of these centers, in terms of number and quality. Besides, 922 health centers are currently under construction or bidding, thus raising the number of new developmental health centers to 1671 centers distributed on the entire Kingdom.
Ba-Solaiman added, “600 health centers have been opened over the past four years, as part of the National Project for Comprehensive and Integrated Health Care. All centers will be staffed by the necessary specialized competencies, encompassing specialists and consultants in the field of home medicine, as well as the other specialties important to provide high-quality primary healthcare services.”
In a press conference held last Monday at the MOH meeting room, Ba-solaiman went on to say, “For sake of clarity, such a paradigm shift is actually emanating from the MOH Strategic Plan and National Project for Comprehensive and Integrated Health Care, as well as the National Strategy for Primary Health Care. Right now, over 70% of the MOH services are provided through these centers, and the services provided by such centers are projected to witness greater advances when reinforcing them with specialists and consultant physicians specialized in primary health care.”
“By the end of the Strategic Plan,” he further expounded, “the Ministry will be achieving a ratio of 1 health center for each 7000 persons. The number of health centers will grow to 3000 centers, distributed on the Kingdom's regions. To that end, the Ministry is sparing no effort to gain the beneficiaries' satisfaction. Serious studies and researches have been conducted, by both domestic and international bodies, with the purpose developing these services, and overcoming the health-associated challenges that hinder the MOH's efforts, most notably the alteration of disease mode: from infectious to chronic.”
He also pointed out that primary healthcare centers are currently providing over 20 programs covering all age groups, and stated that these programs have recently undergone a quantum leap. In this context, a program for the health of the youth and adolescents, as well as programs to care for the health of the elderly, to be added to the existing programs: childhood care, maternity care, adolescent care, vaccination programs, infectious diseases control program, mental health program, chronic diseases program, curative services and healthy children care, etc.
Dr. Ba-Solaiman, in addition, drew attention to the fact that the number of serums and vaccines accredited so far is 183 drugs, and underway is the accreditation of 117 other drugs, to reach 300 drugs available at health center, thus achieving 64% growth. The new drugs to be launched include drugs for mental health and chronic diseases (diabetes, hypertension, and so on).
Concerning the resolution recently taken by the Council of Ministers, stipulating taking off the responsibility of school health center from the Ministry of Education and assigning it to the Ministry of Health, Dr. Ba-Solaiman made clear that the Ministry of Health looks upon school children as the most important among all society segments. Proceeding from this perception, the Ministry has dedicated health services for them, and set a comprehensive strategic plan for school health, commensurate and integrative with its health services provided by primary health care centers, and other levels of health care, in addition to making optimal use of the primary healthcare centers spread out throughout the Kingdom's regions.
As his statement drew to a close, Dr. B-Soliaman mentioned that the total number of beneficiaries of the Ministry's primary healthcare services reached in the last year a number of 55 million frequenters. By means of its comprehensive and integrated healthcare project, the Ministry seeks to provide all essential health care services at primary healthcare centers, in order for citizens to benefit from best-quality health services that are provided not far from their houses. To that end, the Ministry has embarked on the procedures of accreditation and adoption of quality programs, supervision and follow-up at all such centers.