His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah received yesterday Tuesday Dr. Bandar bin Mohammed Al-Eiban, the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission (HRC), at the headquarters of the Ministry of Health (MOH). Present were the MOH's senior officials and the HRC members of the board of directors.
In the meantime, he affirmed that the MOH is steadily interested in exerting every effort and working on conveying the message of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, his Heir-Apparent, and the Second Deputy, may Allah protect them, in terms of providing services and addressing the health needs of citizens and those residing on the soil of our dear country. He went on to add "we hope that having applied the MOH's ten-year strategy and the National Project for the Integrated, Inclusive Healthcare, we have, Allah willing, fulfilled a great deal of the aspirations of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, may Allah protect him, who constantly gives directives on paying attention to the citizen's health as their health is highly valued."
As regards Dr. Bandar bin Mohammed Al-Eiban, he pointed out that the MOH provides health services for all citizens and foreigners and conscientiously mind their rights. This is in implementation of the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the prudent leadership which prepares all the capabilities and facilitations; in order for the Minister of Health and officials to do these challenging tasks; first with the aim of absolving his responsibility before Allah, then translating the aspirations of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, may support him, and the citizens of our dear country and the non-Saudis residing on the soil of the Kingdom.
Meanwhile, he noted that what we have viewed has not been achieved from nothing, but it is the reflection of hard work, efforts, planning, and living up to responsibilities. And, the National project for the Integrated, Inclusive Healthcare is a major breakthrough in terms of the healthcare in this country after it has finished. He went on praying Allah to protect this country, spearheaded by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, may Allah protect him, wishing success and guidance for the MOH and its employees on performing their human task, to which we unanimously agree.
He went on to add that no doubt, the MOH is a service one and its motto is serving the patient, citizen, and society. It also seeks that these services meet the highest standards expected. Further, the Minister of Health and MOH senior officials listened to the notes and suggestions of the Chairman and the HRC members of board of directors, which focused on the health services in the Kingdom's regions, attending to the ambulatory cases, and the process of transporting and transferring the patients and other services provided by the MOH.
As far as his Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah is concerned; he extended his thanks to the HRC Chairman and his honorable colleagues who came to the MOH to view the health programs and plans carried out by the MOH for the dear citizen.
He went on to add "I avail myself of this occasion and extend deepest thanks to Dr. Bandar bin Mohammed Al-Eiban who took the initiative and was keen on visiting the MOH, reflecting the role and significance of the health sector for the citizen and those residing on the soil of this country regarding the citizenry rights in our dear country.
Within the same vein, he emphasized that the MOH is aware that it is a service one and of special significance for the citizen. For in the last five years it studied all the challenges and difficulties facing the citizen and those residing on the soil of this country and revisited the strategic plans developed by the MOH in the last decade. He went on pointing out that proceeding from these givens, the MOH employees have crafted a strategy and vision for the MOH after efforts lasted for more than nine months, through which they set a strategy for the MOH lasting until 1440H and complementing the previous strategies.
He further affirmed that given the MOH's transparency, this strategy was posted on its portal for whoever wishes to view it, drawing the attention to the fact that the MOH is currently seeing major developmental boom in all fields; whether in terms of the health facilities, upgrading services, paying attention to the patient's safety and keenness on gaining their satisfaction; or mechanizing the health information and the MOH's administrative and financial system, other projects and programs, and all what counts the citizen. Hence, the MOH took into consideration those benefitting from its services and was interested in creating quality programs solving the problems facing them, with which the MOH is afflicted as well. They are topped by all what accounts for the needs of the patient's services; they are addressed by the Patients' Rights and Relations program.
He remarked that due to the significance of patients' rights, the MOH linked the Patients' Rights Department to the Minister of Health in person; with the aim of working around all the difficulties confronting it and lending it the moral and materialistic uplift in a manner that makes its work easier and smoother.
During the meeting, a number of the MOH officials displayed the MOH's activities and programs, during which they demonstrated that the health projects operated in the past five years numbered 72 hospitals of which there are 28 restored hospitals and 48 newly established ones with 9255 bed capacity. This brings the current number of hospitals to 272 ones. In addition to this, Allah willing, during the current and next fiscal year, 45 hospitals will be operated and opened in the entire Kingdom's regions. Currently, 143 hospitals and medical towers with 34701 bed capacity are being carried out and put up for tender. This in turn will have the number of beds rise from 38970 ones in 1435H to73678 ones at the end of the strategic plan after these projects have been completed in 1440H.
As regards the primary healthcare centers whose establishing finished during the last four years, its number reached 824 ones, and currently 91 new ones are being gone up. In addition to this, there are 756 health centers completing the implementation procedures and on their way to join the group of the current primary healthcare centers. This totals 2259 ones in all.