The Ministry of Health (MOH) closed 24 private health facilities and 10 pharmaceutical facilities in a number of the Kingdom’s regions over the month of Muharram, 1435H; due to their non-compliance with Health Regulations. The number of irregularities detected on the private health institutions reached 103; whereas the number of the pharmaceutical facilities irregularities reached 213. As for the irregularities, monitored by the MOH Medical Irregularities and Legitimate Health Institutions Committees, on the medical or technical cadres, they reached 90 irregularities during the same period.
For his part, the Assistant Deputy Minister for Private Health Sector, Dr. Ali bin Hussein Al-Zawawi, has lauded the effective role of the private health sector, describing it as a main partner in providing health services. Furthermore, he called upon the workers in this sector to exert their utmost efforts to promote the level of health services provided to citizens and residents, in a manner that helps further the health progress in the Kingdom, with the support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, May Allah protect him, to promote the level of health facilities performance.
Within the same vein, Dr. Al-Zawawi highlighted that the MOH, through its different committees, will keep on following-up and overseeing the offered services in the health sector; in order to ensure the compliance with the required regulations and specifications, aiming to serve patients and visitors of those facilities, as well as offering high-quality health services to meet their health needs.
Dr. Al-Zawawi went on adding that health affairs directorates all over the Kingdom’s regions oversee a number of 130 private hospitals, 2000 medical clinic complexes and 7000 pharmacies, indicating that there are 98000 health practitioners working in the private health sector.
It is worth mentioning that the MOH, out of its responsibility for the performance level in the private health sector, places particular emphasis on inspection and monitoring to verify of the implementation of the rules and regulations in order to maintain safety and security of the services offered to patients, by constant follow-ups through inspection committees in health affairs directorates, sudden tours, citizens’ cooperative initiatives, through the MOH Portal (
http://www.moh.gov.sa ) via the Citizen’s Voice service, or fax no. 0112124196. Over and above, MOH takes the proper statutory punitive actions against all irregularities, including financial fines, suspension, license withdrawal, or temporary or final closure. Those sanctions may be imposed upon the private health facilities and pharmacies, or health profession practices, which may reach to termination and deportation. That gives an actual indication that the MOH and its health affairs directorates are very serious about inspecting and addressing any deficiencies or failures in the health services offered in the private health sector.