The competent committees at the health affairs directorates of regions and provinces continue to conduct inspection tours on the private health premises. By doing so, the Ministry aims to follow up the workflow at such institutions, and verify of their adherence to the in-place laws and regulations.
In this spirit, the Assistant Undersecretariat for Private Health Sector Affairs announced that it has ratified the decision of the Private Health Institutions' Violations Consideration Committee at al-Ahsa Province, penalizing the owner of optics (glasses) store with fine of SR 10.000, as well as withdrawing his license. In addition, he is not allowed to apply for a new license until after two years. This penalty has been imposed on the ground of violating the Private Health Institutions Law, namely: the absence of a licensed optician, hiring an unqualified worker, as well as the transfer of ownership of the store without having the approval of al-Ahasa Province.
The Ministry has also approved of the decision of the Private Health Institutions' Violations Consideration Committee at al-Jouf Region, penalizing the owner of a private pharmacy in al-Jouf with a fine of SR 10.000, for violating the Pharmaceutical Installations and Products Law, and its executive regulation; the said pharmacy contained drugs unlicensed by the Ministry of Health.
Within the same vein, the Ministry has approved of the decision of the Health Professions Violations Consideration Committee at Jeddah Province, penalizing a pharmacist in al-Jouf with a fine of SR 5.000, as well canceling his license, for not renewing his profession practicing license before its expiration, and practicing the profession with an expired license.
Over and above, the Ministry has approved of the decision of the Private Health Institutions' Violations Consideration Committee at Riyadh Region, penalizing the owner of a private pharmacy in Riyadh with a fine of SR 10.000, along with publishing the final version of the decision, at the expense of the violator, in three local papers, one, at least, of which is issued at the pharmacy. This decision has been issued on the grounds of the absence of a measure of temperature in the refrigerator, and the deficient cooling system of the pharmacy.
Meanwhile, the MOH Assistant Undersecretariat for Private Health Sector Affairs made clear that it would take all the statutory procedures, including the cautionary closure, against any health institution proven to be non-compliant with the required quality standards of health services. In so doing, the Ministry aims at compelling such institutions to improve their conditions and redress all irregularities observed there, pursuant to the statutory procedures.