Under the auspices of His Royal Highness, Prince Saud bin Abdulmohsen bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Hail Region, and with the attendance of His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, as well as a number of MOH undersecretaries and officials, the inauguration, tender-awarding and ratification of health projects (costing over SR 2 billion) was held at Hail General Hospital yesterday, February 25th, 2012.
The ceremony was started with a Quranic recitation, following which the Director-General of Health Affairs in Hail, Dr. Nawaf bin Abdulaziz Al-Harthi, delivered a speech acclaiming the gracious and unstinting health support received by the Region from the Wise Leadership, as well as HRH the Governor of Hail Region.
Dr. Al-Harthi went on to enumerate the medical services provided in the Region, and came across the cooperation with Hail University and Rowan University, France, in an effort to provide high-quality health services.
It followed that the Prince, as well as all the attendees, watched a visual presentation of the health achievements accomplished in Hail, in addition to the new health projects, including the restructuring and rehabilitation of the already existing health services, development of health manpower, establishment of new health facilities, follow-up of the work progress of underway projects, finding solutions to challenges and obstacles impeding our progress, and development and enhancement of human resources.
After that, His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, delivered a speech in which he shed light on the tremendous support, gracious patronage and keen interest unremittingly shown by the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, in the provision of healthcare in its comprehensive sense, thus ensuring best-quality health services for our citizens. “Proceeding from these underlying principles,” said Dr. Al-Rabeeah, “the Ministry of Health (MOH) has developed its strategy for the upcoming ten years, taking as its focus the adherence to scientific criteria corresponding to the highest and most advanced health standards, both national and international. We place particular emphasis on the provision of healthcare in its various forms, and proceed on the adoption of high-tech programs, making use of the world's state-of-the-art technologies. In doing so, we seek to bring about the development of the MOH's administrative and financial systems, the occupational codes and regulations, as well as quality and information technology.”
“Today,” Dr. Al-Rabeeah added, “we are celebrating the inauguration of a heart center, 3 hospitals and 16 health centers, aside from the expansion of the Kidney Center in Hail, as well as the buildings of the Outpatient Clinics, Baq'aa and Somairaa. Above all, we are celebrating laying the foundation of Hail General Hospital, planned to be accommodating 300 beds, and including a kidney center accommodating 40 beds. Among the health projects dedicated for our citizens in Hail also, is the establishment of 5 medical warehouses, and development of storage mechanisms, in addition to several promising developmental projects.”
In a related context, Dr. Al-Rabeeah brought to the attendees the glad tidings that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, May Allâh protect him, has approved the establishment of the Maternity and Children's Hospital with a bed-capacity of 200 beds, at a cost of SR 400 million, in addition to South-West Hail Hospital, with a bed-capacity of 300 beds, and 15 primary healthcare centers. The total cost all these projects is SR 2 billion.
“The Ministry of Health,” Dr. Al-Rabeeah continued, “complies with a strategy based on the National Project for Integrated and Comprehensive Healthcare, in parallel with the adoption of urgent developmental programs and solutions aiming to preserving patients' health and obtaining their satisfaction.” Then he enumerated the MOH's programs meant to bringing into effect the Ministry's motto: “Patient First!”
Dr. Al-Rabeeah made clear, in addition, that the Ministry has taken crucial steps towards the application of the institutional work concept, centered on collective decision, transparency, dialogue and communication with co-service providers. “The Ministry, in so doing, seeks to entrench the principles of integrity and justice, following the example of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, who has been providing a role model in adopting these principles,” Dr. Al-Rabeeah said.
It followed that His Royal Highness the Governor of Hail inaugurated the aforementioned health projects, and delivered a speech in which he lauded the implications of the speech given by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques on the occasion of National Dialogue, as it was essentially centered upon citizens' health and well-being. He was quoted as saying, “This is Hail's long-awaited day, and it is now coming true, thanks be to Allâh!”
HRH the Governor of Hail went on to say that, “Security of citizens cannot be attained by way of speeches and celebrations, but, rather, tangible projects on the ground meeting their needs and aspirations.” Meanwhile, he expressed his satisfaction at the generous allocations of health projects, praying for Allâh to help contractors, as well as the MOH staff, to accomplish these projects in due time. He also lauded the high spirit of the employees, who are exerting strenuous efforts to optimally accomplish the projects.
After that, HRH the Prince took a look at a model of Hail General Hospital, accommodating 300 beds, and listened to an elaborate explanation on the project. He also laid the foundation of the Hospital and the new Kidney Center (accommodating 40 beds).
Furthermore, HRH the Governor of Hail, accompanied by HE the Minister of Health, opened the Heart Center in Hail Region, where they took a look at the Center's equipment. For his part, the Director of King Fahad Cardiac Center, at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, and Supervisor of the Center Operation, gave an elaborate account of the phases of operation, pointing out the Center's equipment is equal to world-class cardiac centers.
At the end, His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Abdulmohsen, the Governor of Hail Region, visited a number of inpatients and got reassured about their health conditions.