Under the auspices of His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, the First Saudi Forum for Hospital Planning and Designing is to be organized by the Saudi Umran Society (Health Architects Division) on 21-23 Rabee' II, 1434H, corresponding to 3-5 March, 2013, in Riyadh. The forum seeks to give rise to the proficiency of those working in the field of designing and planning health facilities.
Dr. Al-Rabeeah, for his part, lauded the Society's proclivity towards introducing a division for health architects, including its membership a distinguished constellation of national competencies and architectural academics working in all over the governmental and private health sectors.
He pointed out that the Ministry of Health (MOH) has considered drawing upon the internationally approved standards and specifications in planning and designing hospitals, as a major criterion the Ministry is keen to abide by. “Thereby,” he affirmed, “the Ministry aims to prepare the health code, with the purpose of setting national standards for the designing and planning of hospitals, as well as getting health facilities ready for addressing beneficiaries' needs and requirements.”
During the meeting he held at his office with Dr. Abdullah al-Dossari, chairman of the Saudi Umran Society, as well as the chief and members of the Health Architects Division, Dr. Al-Rabeeah called upon everybody to keep their eyes on the international research centers, regarding the pivotal importance of researches in the field of hospital planning and designing, and their indispensable role in bringing about a paradigm shift in designing hospitals, so as to concord with the demands of the health service beneficiaries, meanwhile taking into account the specificality of the Saudi society, with all its heritage of customs and traditions, emanating from the tolerant Islamic Shari'a.
“The MOH Agency of Engineering Affairs,” Al-Rabeeah added, “pays close attention to comply with the internationally accredited standards in designing hospitals. In so doing, the Agency seeks to preserve health beneficiaries' rights and privacy, especially when it comes to the patients hospitalized in ICUs, in addition to preparing the medical rehabilitation centers for facilitating the provision of health services, and meet the demands of people with special needs.”
For his part, Dr. Abdulaziz, the chairman of Saudi Umran Society, expressed his thanks and gratitude for His Excellency the Minister of Health for his patronage of the First Saudi Forum for Hospital Planning and Designing, mainly designated to enrich the debate on engineering affairs, in terms of designing and establishing health facilities, and exchange experiences among those specialized and involved in architectural sciences. He shed light on the importance of the Society for the society in general, and the architectural activities in particular. That's to be added to its crucial role in developing the construction sector and raising people's awareness of its activities and affairs, by way of organizing a number of ambitious programs, through which the Society looks forward to improving the Kingdom's architectural applications, including, but not limited to, the architectural education in the Saudi universities.
Following the meeting, the chief of the Health Architects Division, Dr. Ziad al-Suwidan, on his part, said, “Our meeting with His Excellency the Minister of Health was a good opportunity to introduce him with the activities of the division, and its role in developing its members' skills and capabilities.” According to al-Suwidan, among the division's major objectives is to modernize the tools and methodology of establishing health facilities, and raising the proficiency of those working in this domain, aside from effectively participating in developing performance when designing or establishing the various health facilities.
In conclusion, Dr. Abdulrahman al-Ubailan, the deputy chief of the division, underscored the importance of the First Saudi Forum for Hospital Planning and Designing, to be held, Allah willing, on March 3-5, 2013.