During the months of Ramadan and Shawwal of this year (1434H), the Ministry of Health (MOH) has closed 34 private health installations of various kinds, and 11 pharmacies in a number of the Kingdom’s regions; due to their violation of the regulations. The number of irregularities observed on the private health installations has reached 172 irregularities; that is to be added to 156 irregularities in the pharmacies.
Furthermore, the Medical Irregularities Committees and Legitimate Health Authorities have observed 130 irregularities, practiced by the medical and technical cadres working in the private health sector within the same period.
For his part, the Assistant Deputy Minister for the Private Health Sector Affairs, Dr. Ali Al-Zawawi, has commended the key role assumed by the private health sector, considering it the MOH's major partner in providing health services.
Meanwhile, he has encouraged workers in the private sector to spare no effort to improve the health services provided for citizens and residents, saying, this will contribute to pushing the health work march in the Kingdom forward, under the unstinting support granted by the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, May Allah protect him, to improve the level of performance at health facilities.
Within the same vein, Dr. Al-Zawawi has underscored that MOH keeps, through its various competent committees, on monitoring and inspecting all services provided in the health sector; in order to ensure the compliance of all health installations with the required regulations and standards, in a manner that ensures rendering services for patients and visitors of these installations, as well as providing high quality services that meet their health needs.
It is worth mentioning that the Ministry of Health, emanating from its responsibility for the level of performance in the private health sector, gives the tasks of monitoring and inspection a top priority; in order to ensure the implementation of the provisions of rules and regulations and to maintain safety and security of the service provided for the patient.
The Ministry records such irregularities through the periodic follow-up tours performed by the inspection committees at the health affairs directorates, as well as the sudden tours, or when it receives a complaint from the citizens or via the MOH portal's service of “Citizen’s Voice” available on the following link:
www.moh.gov.sa or by fax: 0112124196.
Furthermore, penal sanctions, whether by fine, suspension from work, withdrawal of the license or temporary or final closure, are taken against any irregularities performed by the private health installations and pharmacies, or against the irregularities related to the practice of health professions. The sanction may include also expelling the offending health practitioner from the country and depriving him of return to the Kingdom again. Such procedures give a true indication for the seriousness of the Ministry and the Health Affairs Directorates in controlling and redressing any deficiencies in the health services provided in the private health sector.