During its recently-held meeting, the High Medical Commission has approved of referring 352 patients for treatment inside and outside the Kingdom. Thus, hundred and fifty seven cases have been referred for treatment abroad, in the USA, Germany, China, France, Italy, Britain, Switzerland, South Korea, Pakistan, Egypt and Jordan.
The Director General of the Medical Commission and Health Attaché at the Ministry of Health (MOH), Dr. Mash'al bin Abdullah Al-Mash'al, has pointed out that the cases (totaling 60) be treated in the USA are the highest, followed by Germany 40 cases China 26 cases . On the other hand, the cases referred for treatment in Britain reached up to13 cases , 11 others in France, and two cases in each of Italy, Jordan and Egypt, in addition to one case in each of South Korea and Pakistan.
“The High Medical Commission has also approved of extending the treatment of 64 cases abroad, including 36 cases in Germany, 17 cases in the USA and 11 cases in Britain; adding in other cases whose medical reports are being considered,” announced Dr. Al-Mash‘al. He went on adding that the commission has referred 131 cases for treatment inside the Kingdom as their health conditions do not require treatment abroad, May Allah be praised.
It is worth mentioning that those cases, in need of being treated abroad, are examined by the High Medical Commission, which acts independently and possesses legal personality, by virtue of the Royal Decree No. (8766/B), dated October 28th, 1998 (corresponding to 15th Jumada Al-Akhera, 1417 H), and the Royal Decree No. (4700/B), dated 3rd May, 2009 (corresponding to 8th Jumada Al-Oula, 1430 H.) The two decrees stipulate that the High Medical Commission be entrusted to examine all cases referred to the Ministry of Health (MOH) for treatment abroad. The Commission is made up of the health sectors in the Kingdom: the Ministry of Defense and Aviation, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of National Guard, the Ministry of Health, King Saud University and King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center. Thus, this Commission is fully aware of all the available capabilities of the specialized referential hospitals in the Kingdom.
Similarly, he added that the role of the MOH is limited to following up the cases that have been previously approved by the High Medical Commission according to their domicile. To that effect, The MOH provides the necessary facilitations to speed up the patient and his companion obtaining the visa of the country where they are to be treated.