His Excellency the Minister of Health, the Chairman of the Council of Health Services (CHS), Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, on his own account and on behalf of all the employees of the health sectors, extended his deepest thanks and gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Prince, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness the Second Prime Minister Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, May Allah protect them. This is on the occasion of the issuance of the ministerial decision approving of doubling the expenditures spent on the Saudi patients and their companions transferred for treatment outside the areas of their residence, and raising them to SR300 for patient and SR 300 for companion; as a daily aid if they were treated outside the areas of their residence. It is also to be raised to SR 600 for patient and SR 600 for companion if they were treated outside the Kingdom. They also approved of enhancing the treatment item in the budgets of the governmental health sectors related to the Saudi patients' expenditures and their companions transferred for treatment outside the areas of their residence.
He commended this generous gesture which embodies the interest of the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and its incessant efforts in terms of providing ways of comfort for our dear citizens, and its relentless quest to meet their needs and overcome all the difficulties facing them. He also remarked about the boundless support which the health services enjoy from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the Heir Apparent, and Second Deputy Prime Minister, May Allah protect them. These efforts, May Allah be praised, contributed to bringing about quantum leap in terms of health services and providing high quality health care; realizing the aspirations of the leaders of this giving country and meeting the health needs of our dear citizens.
He went on to pray Allah, the Almighty, to keep safe for this country the Leader of its march, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the Crown Prince, and Second Deputy Prime Minister, and to perpetuate the blessing of security and stability, and keep them healthy all along.
It is worth mentioning that the Ministry of Health (MOH), in addition to bearing the full costs of treatment and flight tickets for patient and their companions, presents for patient and their companions a daily aid during treatment period, whether inside or outside the Kingdom. The ministerial decision of raising the value of the aid comes as a result of a suggestion presented by the MOH to meet the patients' needs and their companions and secure their daily expenditures. This is out of the MOH's theme “Patient First!”; aiming at serving patients and gaining their satisfaction and maintaining their health and safety.
And the total of what the Ministry of Health (MOH) spent on treatment inside and outside the Kingdom during the past fiscal year reached SR 1.8 billion.