The Vice President of the Human Rights Commission (HRC), Dr. Zaid bin Abdulmohsen Al-Hussein, has affirmed that the Saudi General Health Policy, formulated by the Ministry of Health (MOH) is completely consistent with the UN standards and mottoes which regard healthcare as an inherent right for all people. He pointed out that the MOH, in this spirit, has put forward a strategic plan enumerating the ways to bring it into being. This plan is not confined to governmental institutions, as is also includes societal charities concerned with health.
In his speech before the First Patient Relations Symposium, organized by the Ministry of Health, Dr. Al-Hussein said, “On behalf of His Excellency the President of the Human Rights Commission, as well as the members of the HRC's Council, and on my behalf, I hereby extend sincere thanks to the Ministry of Health for all its efforts, in both theoretical and practical arenas, meant to improve the health services provided for citizens and residents, with a view to fulfill the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, May Allah protect and help them. Besides, I extend thanks to His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Al-Rabeeah, and all the employees of the Ministry.”
“As for patient relations in terms of the norms followed in the field of health,” Al-Hussein added, “it should be very clear that such relations are essentially based upon three words: 'right of health'. Right of health is one of the essential and inalienable rights our glorious religion, and it could be argued that upon this right rise the five pillars of Islam.”
Dr. Zaid Al-Hussein went on to say that, “the Basic Law of Government places special emphasis on this right and protects it in a number of its articles. For instance, Article (31) provides that: "the State shall look after public health and provide health care for every citizen." Article (27) states that: "the State shall guarantee the rights of the citizens and their families in cases of emergency, illness, disability and old age. The State shall support the Social Insurance Law and encourage organizations and individuals to participate in philanthropic activities." Also, Article (32) states that: "the State shall work towards the preservation, protection and improvement of the environment, as well as prevent pollution." These are the articles that apparently protect the right of health.”
“In addition to that,” Al-Hussein continued, “Article (26) of the Basic Law of Governance stipulates that: "the State shall protect human rights in accordance with the Sharia." Granted all the human rights principles are in fact integrative and indivisible, the right of health, however, receives the greater part of attention, since it is a right without which people cannot undertake his duties, toward Allah and fellow people. The massive institution of human rights cannot be developed without providing adequate healthcare; which is reckoned both the objective and the means of this institutions.”
Dr. Al-Hussein pointed out that that the General Health Policy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, formulated by the Ministry of Health (MOH) is completely consistent with the UN standards and mottoes which regard healthcare as an inherent right for all people. He added that the MOH, in this spirit, has put forward a strategic plan enumerating the ways to bring it into being. This plan is not confined to governmental institutions, as is also includes societal charities concerned with health, such as Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Humanitarian City, Disabled Children Association, Prince Fahd bin Salman Association for Renal Failure Patients (Kellana), National Family Safety Program, Saudi Cancer Society, and Zahra Breast Cancer Association, along with so many other institutions. Dr. Al-Hussein emphasized that the social vigor is still proceeding, as manifested in the frequent launching of new associations concerned with the various health areas.
Dr. Zaid bin Abdulmohsen Al-Hussein said that the general health framework, from the perspective of human rights, is based upon 4 axes: a) health facilities [including hospitals, pharmacies, and medical rehabilitation centers], b) the provision of high-quality medical equipment and healthcare services, c) equality of opportunities, as regards the reception of medical services provided by proficient specialists, and d) discipline, good treatment, abiding by professional duties, and meeting patients' requirements, with a view to attaining high quality and ongoing development.
These four axes, Al-Hussein continued, cannot interact with each other without a sound and effective frame work, embodied in the theme of the symposium: “Patient First!”, thus covering all the aspects of this right, encompassing physical health, mental health, sexual health, reproductive health, and the health of persons with disabilities; in line with the UN standards adopted and supported by the Ministry of Health.
Al-Hussein underscored the importance of the subject designated for the First Patient Relations Symposium in highlighting the primordial values, morals and relations that should be adhered to, including: knowing the rights of patients, their families and companions, honesty (by avoiding the disclosure of patients' secrets, behavior control towards the health-service beneficiaries, proficiency (continuity of work), ability to handle urgent cases when need be (medical evacuation, etc.), mastery of the language adopted in the health facility, familiarity with the needed medical terminology, and the like.
Dr. Al-Hussein, besides, has commended the Ministry of health for enumerating all such relations on its e-portal, making clear that they have been placed in the proper context, in a way that is definitely consistent with the standards of human rights in the health domain, and can be seen as a translation of the principles put forward in the Basic Law of Government. Meanwhile, he expressed his happiness at the organization of such an international specialized symposium, intended to discuss the topic of patient relations from a specialized perspective promoting the practical approach adopted by the Ministry. He wished success for all those responsible for the symposium, so that it would bear its fruit soon.
Dr. Al-Hussein concluded his statement by asserting that the commission supports this approach, and considers it one of the respectable endeavors aiming to preserving the right of health in its three domains: preservation of the environment and control of epidemics, providing medical services taking into account the equalization of opportunities, and disease prevention with all its individual and collective facets.