In the conclusion of the Ministry of Health (MOH)'s fifth consultative meeting, His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, has called upon all the ministry's officials and directors of health affairs directorates in regions and provinces to pay due attention to the primary healthcare during this year and meet the aspirations of Saudi citizens, in such a manner that is consistent with the MOH's strategy and its National Project for Integrated and Comprehensive Health Care.
These remarks were delivered by the Assistant Deputy Minister for Primary Health Care, Dr. Mohammed bin Omar Basliman, who indicated that the Minister of Health Dr. Al-Rabeeah has discussed during the first session of the MOH meeting, ways to upgrade the primary healthcare domain in the Kingdom and ordered to form a committee to follow up the implementation of recommendations.
Also, Dr. Al-Rabeeah instructed the assistants of public health departments and staffers of primary healthcare to exert strenuous efforts to complete the development strategy.
In the same context, Dr. Basliman noted that the developmental projects in the primary health care domain aim at ensuring nearby health and therapeutic services for patients at hands of a constellation of specialist and consultant physicians in the health centers.
Furthermore, Dr. Basliman noted that all assistants of public health departments nationwide were given the chance to partake in this meeting and to give their views on the implementation of the developmental strategy, which is based on several axes, including the restoration of buildings and development of workforce.
Speaking about the ministry's achievements, Dr. Basliman noted that the MOH has established 824 new health centers and renovated 827 others; that is to be added to providing the latest technological devices, supporting the supervisory services and follow-up procedures and improving the quality of services tendered.
Dr. Basliman added that the meeting has identified the general trend and the primary healthcare strategy, focusing on the importance of providing preventive services for citizens, such as forcing them to undergo a periodic checkup in accordance with the globally-adopted criteria and developing the therapeutic services applied in the Saudi Arabia, especially chronic diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.
This is to be carried out at hands of physicians, specialists, consultants and other health groups specialized in providing comprehensive services.
With regard to the primary healthcare services, the participants in the meeting have suggested launching the comprehensive healthcare center project as soon as possible, which will cover the most important health specialties, such as internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, mental health, ophthalmology, dermatology, otolaryngology, obstetrics and orthopedics.
Another proposal was made on the referral of cases from health centers to the nearby polyclinics as well as the provision of the ambulatory and emergency services around the clock.