His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah Bin AbdulAziz Al Rabeeah, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCHS), revealed that the Commission has reached an agreement with the Canadian Royal College to open a branch in the Kingdom in the fields of training, exchange of experience and curriculum development, paving the way for mutual recognition between both nations with regards to local health programs to promote the scientific level; which will impart a global character to training programs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
During launching the first International Conference of Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, scheduled to last for three days, in Makarem Conference Hall atthe Marriott Hotel, the Minster added that the health sector in the Kingdom is in need of medical cadres of advanced, precise specialties. Also, the Kingdom needs to benefit from the Program of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for foreign scholarships through the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties and those who are sparing efforts to settle expertise all over the Kingdom.
Dr. Al-Rabeeah said, ‘‘The Saudi Commission for Health Specialties has various advantages; one of which is the ability to detect counterfeited certificates, something which serves the interest of the Commission and the Kingdom as it is an advantage rather than a defect.’’ He pointed out that every health practitioner who enters the Kingdom undergoes a probation period while their certificates are being verified of by the Commission based on one of the most precise software in the world; in order to monitor MOH contractors’ certificates.
The Minister clarified that the Kingdom is keen on training and developing national cadres in all medical fields through the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties that services MOH health sectors as well as any other health sector in the Kingdom.
Dr. Al-Rabeeah placed particular emphasis on the fact that the Commission kept on achieving discernible progress in training and health education programs in order to find distinguished competencies to serve the health sector and promote the level of the offered services. That is a reflection of the continuous support and kind patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and the Second Deputy Prime Minister – may Allah protect them – on the health sector; in order to provide high-quality health care. This support and effort contributed to making the Kingdom a pioneer at the level of the Middle East and Europe as for the number of programs. There are 64 programs, 50 of which are to cover most precise health specialties; 4 thousands practitioners are being trained in 74 advanced training centers. He hoped that those programs would help saudize distinguished health professions.
For his part, Prof. Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Sayegh, Secretary-General of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties clarified that by the end of 2014, the whole Commission will be an e-government; which will allow health practitioners to finalize their procedures online. He indicated that the narrow availability of training locations in training centers in one of the main challenges that the Commission faces to expand training programs. The commission is keen on keeping training programs a strong competition to the international programs; as the accreditation of any center is not granted unless all required terms are met to insure the provision of the suitable place to educate highly qualified physicians and practitioners.
Dr. Al-Sayegh stated that the conference comes after 20 years of the Commission's establishment; and comes in line with the ambitious vision of (SCHS) to promote the health performance to the international level after an era full of business and achievements associated with its assigned tasks leading it to the maturity and expertise level. That compelled (SCHS) to adopt arranging its first conference aiming at serving training and trainees as it is the center of training programs of higher education for the Saudi Specialty Certificate to show them the latest news and provide scientific material with the latest discoveries in various health fields; which involve a large number of trainees in the Kingdom.
Finally, the Minister of Health awarded sponsors and representatives in the conference. In addition, the gold medal was granted to Professor Amy Gilmore.