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Executive Affairs Deputy Minister, Dr. Mansour Bin Naser Al Hawasi, said that nutrition and health are inseparable; nutrition is necessary to gain good health. That is due to the fact that many of health problems generate from the person’s food. Nutrition is considered one of the life’s essential factors that must be taken into consideration in terms of safety, quality and setting health regulations and instructions in order to benefit from it. Food safety is a very important matter for consumers. Thereby, it is necessary to provide inpatients and outpatients with preventative and curative health and nutrition care in order to avoid bad nutrition.
This was stated at the 2nd Scientific Meeting (Nutrition Services.. Reality and Expectations); which was organized by the General Directorate of Nutrition in King Fahad Medical City, Dr. Al Hawasi mentioned the great support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Crown Prince toward the health services, in addition to the Minister of Health concerns in providing high quality health services and comprehensively fulfill the citizens health needs based on national and international standards.
Moreover, he clarified that MOH is enhancing the practical and scientific abilities of the health and nutrition services officials in addition to raising consumers' awareness and changing the society’s concepts about some nutrition and health issues. In accordance with related authorities; MOH is establishing standards to assure that nutrition services meet safe nutrition standards.
On the other hand, General supervisor of MOH General Directorate of Nutrition, Mr. Mishary Bin Hamad Al Dakheel, stated that rapid social and economic changes of the society accompanied by the demographic and epidemic transformations in the area led to a noticeable change in the health risks and problems that face the people.
Mr. Al Dakheel, clarified that due to the control of many contagious diseases, health indicators of the Saudi community had enhanced. In spite of that, other diseases are considered the main health problems in the Saudi community. These diseases are diseases that goes along with bad nutrition, disorders of changing daily life style, increasing food consuming and lack of exercising.
Moreover, he added that due to the responsibility of General Directorate of Nutrition in the health nutrition field, the Directorate has organized this scientific meeting. The meeting aims to assure providing nutrition services to people in hospitals on a daily basis according to their health condition as a preventative, treatment and educational procedure based on the conditions and specifications of the HACCP and ISO 22000 system. That is in addition to setting regulations and making the best choices through discussions and topics posed by academics and experts in this field in accordance with related health official bodies.
Mr. Al Dakheel, mentioned that the Directorate is supervising 20 nutrition managements in the directorates and 244 nutrition departments in hospitals, where more than 1000 MOH nutrition specialists and technicians work there. It also supervise more than 6000 food catering employees and workers, 25 food caterer, accredited in medical centers nutrition field. More than 17.000.000 meals were served yearly on an average of 50.000 meals on a daily basis to people in hospitals (patients-nurses- on-call physicians-companions) on the year of 1430. Those meals were served according to the best quality and safety standards.
Nevertheless, he indicated that based on the Directorate’s tasks, activities and nutrition programs in addition to its long term success and experience, the Directorate has become a reference and a consultant body to most of the related governmental sectors. This success is due to MOH officials unlimited support and the former supervisors of the Directorate.