His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Rabeeah, has approved imposing a fine estimated by SR 35,000 against a Saudi physician for working without permission in one of the biggest hospitals in Jeddah.
The Ministry of Health has fined a Saudi citizen SR 35,000 for practicing medicine without permission after receiving a special directive from the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Rabeeah.
“The physician was practicing medicine at a private hospital in Jeddah without having permission from the Ministry of Health.” said an official in the Ministry.
The decision was taken after receiving a report from the Chairman of the Inspection Committee entrusted with recording the irregularities of the Law of Practicing Healthcare Professions in Jeddah. In the report, the Chairman mentioned that the physician has committed an irregularity by working in the hospital before obtaining permission.
It is noteworthy that the Inspection Committee in Jeddah has investigated the physician, decided to apply the provision of Article (28/1) of the Law of Practicing Healthcare Professions and imposed a fine of SR 15,000 on him. In addition, the said physician has violated the provisions of Article (9/A) of the Law, which stipulates that: (The health practice must always serve the patient’s interest, and the health practitioners must exert their utmost efforts to serve each patient). Therefore, he was sentenced to a fine of SR 20,000; hence, the total amount of the financial fines is SR 35,000.
Furthermore, His Excellency the Minister of Health has approved closing clinics complex in Riyadh as a preventive action due to violation of the Law of Private Health Institutions and its Implementing Regulations, based on Article (23) of the Law, which stipulates that, (As a preventive action, the violating institution which practices the profession may be suspended upon a decision issued by the committees set forth in Article 25, if there are strong evidences and proofs on irregularities reached by the initial investigation. If confirmed, the sanction may include withdrawal of the permission or closure of the health institution).
It is worth mentioning that the irregularities included a shortage in the emergency department, lack of solutions carrier in men’s bandage department, and exposure of not-sanitized and used tools in the dentistry. The Inspection Committee recorded also existence of labour tests reports ready to be submitted without doing the required tests, as well as appointment of unlicensed cadres, and expiration of the complex permission.
The decision included also the approval of the Minister to refer the violating cadres to the Health Practitioners Committee to take the necessary sanctions.