The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced Ramadan working hours of hospitals, primary health care centers, and specialized centers, including cardiology centers, oncology centers, and diabetes centers, as well as primary health care centers in villages; where 24/7 emergency services are unavailable. Ramadan working hours will be divided to two shifts; in order to insure premium services to the maximum number of beneficiaries. The first shift will be from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.; the second shift will be from 9 p.m. until 12 a.m., in addition to emergency services in hospitals, which are working 24/7.
As for employees, of officials and workers, working in the MoH headquarters, departments, health affairs directorates and their departments, MoH stipulated working on one shift from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. for five days a week from Sunday till Thursday. As for contractors, who are included in the health regulation of physicians and other workers of health technicians, they will be working on one shift from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., from Sunday until Thursday.
Without prejudice to the applied shifts system, hospitals are to work for five days a week, from Sunday till Thursday. As for the morning shift, it will start from 10 a.m. till 1 p.m. for all categories except consultant physicians as they will start at 10:30 a.m. till 1 p.m. As for the evening shift, it will start from 9 p.m. till 12 a.m.
In addition, primary healthcare centres managed by hospitals will offer 24/7 emergency services from Sunday till Thursday on two shifts. The first one will be from 10 a.m. till 1 p.m.; whereas the second one will be from 9 p.m. till 12 a.m.; as well as covering the working hours in rotation centres as per the set schedule by the region.
As for primary healthcare centres in villages where emergency services are unavailable 24/7, working hours will be form Sunday till Thursday on two shifts. The first one will be from 10 a.m. till 1 p.m.; where the second one will be from 9 p.m. till 12 a.m.
Moreover, working hours for technicians who are not included in health regulation in primary healthcare centers and outpatient clinics as well as the associated bodies, MoH stipulated working for 25 hours a week, distributed on week days; the start and end of which will be set by the employer. The health affairs directorate and the administration of each hospital in any health region will arrange workflow in internal departments, ambulance through shifts; in a way that will insure a smooth workflow 24/7. That will be applied on healthcare centers working on shifts as well.
Furthermore, as a result of the workload in the evening shift in outpatient clinics during the holy month of Ramadan, hospitals directors will be responsible for arranging the work hours of retainers, workers through setting the necessary shifts insuring a smooth workflow and patients’ comfort.