On behalf of HE the Acting Minister of Health, Eng. Adel bin Mohammed Faqih, HE the Vice Minister of Health for Planning and Development, Dr. Mohammed bin Hamzah Khoshaim, has launched today morning (Tuesday) the dialysis unit at Prince Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz Hospital (east of Riyadh); a step which comes in line with the Ministry's trend towards leaning on the private sector for securing dialysis services of both types (hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis). This came in implementation of the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, may Allah protect him, and in accordance with his approval of providing and developing the dialysis services, as per the latest international standards, in collaboration with Diaverum Company.
Following the inauguration, the Minister toured the sections of the dialysis unit in the hospital and listened to a detailed explanation about the unit from the medical officer. He expressed his admiration for what he has seen in the hospital, including the required tools, furniture, equipment, consumables and integrated medical staff, which all are secured in accordance with the latest standards and finest quality, with a view to providing the most effective and distinctive therapeutic methods.
Dr. Khoshaim pointed out that “the Ministry of Health (MOH) has a long-standing tradition of hard work, letting the work speak of itself. It believes that we must work day and night in the service of our country and its people, and in implementation of the directives of the wise leadership, as well as gaining the satisfaction of the valued citizens. Citizens, Allah willing, will see actions speak of themselves once these facilities are put to work.”
He went on saying that the “renal failure patients constitute a big concern for the health service providers in the Kingdom. It is no doubt that the rate of renal failure patients is on the rise due to the increasing of chronic diseases, most notably diabetes which is one of the main causes leading to renal failure.” Meanwhile, he pointed out that the awareness programs provided by the health sectors contribute to reducing the rate of incidence.
He said, "Today, we are witnessing the opening of one of the biggest dialysis centers in Prince Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz Hospital, for men and women, in collaboration with the Diaverum Global, which is one of the world's prominent renal care providers, offering its services in many countries around the world. And that is why we are optimistic about the level of services to be provided by the center."
He added that the plan is progressing well, and that this center is of one a series of centers opened recently, and more new ones will be opened later, with the aim of providing the highest level of dialysis service to the needy patients, which is our main objective. He emphasized that all Kingdom's cities and provinces are targeted with this service not only Riyadh, pointing that the first and second phases are in Riyadh in addition to a number of other regions.
Dr. Khoshaim elaborated that the MOH is witnessing establishment of 100 new hospitals during the next five years, with a total bed-capacity of some 33,000 beds, to be added to the currently available 40,000 beds, bringing the total of beds to 73,000 by 1440H.
On his part, the Assistant Undersecretary of Hospitals Affairs, Dr. Aqeel bin Jama'an Al-Ghamdi, revealed that Saudi kidney patients will be allowed to undergo the dialysis sessions all over the world owing to purchasing the service from the private sector.
In his address, Al-Ghamdi said, “This came in implementation of the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, may Allah protect him, and in accordance with his approval to secure and develop the dialysis services in line with the most updated international levels applied by the MOH.”
"The total number of patients projected to benefit from the project's first phase amounts to 2803 in 16 centers, with a capacity of 30 beds each, while another 11 centers will be rented," he said.
Meanwhile, Al-Ghamdi lauded the generous support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, may Allah bless him, and the continuous concern and keenness of HE the Acting Minister of Health, Eng. Adel bin Mohammed Faqih, about the health services and the invitation of the leading international companies to provide high quality health services to the citizens in all Kingdom's regions and provinces. He also expressed his great thanks and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for his unceasing concern for the health of his citizens and contracting with the leading international companies specialized in the care of patients with renal failure.
He reiterated that the “dialysis services project targets both types of dialysis: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, for elderly and young patients who receive health care at the MOH's dialysis centers and units, as redemptive treatment for chronic renal failure patients. It is a high quality treatment service provided in collaboration with the leading international providers of renal care. The company (service provider) will establish or rent dialysis centers across the Kingdom’s regions and provinces, and provide all necessary equipment and devices, consumable items and integrated medical staff as per the highest quality standards, thereby providing the most effective and distinctive methods of treatment. This will be carried out over three phases, in a time span of five years.
He underlined the advantages to be reaped from the foreign expertise including accommodating new patients, offering faster and more qualitative therapeutic possibilities, setting and applying elevated work policies and mechanisms, keeping up with the technological advancements in medical equipment and supplies and improving performance in terms of both quantity and quality. The other advantages, according to Dr. Al-Ghamdi, include training the national calibers, providing highly qualified medical and nursing calibers as well as specialists of supportive services, providing all diagnostic and therapeutic services through these centers (medical tests, vascular links, dialysis sessions and medicine), as well as raising the economic efficiency of health utilities, bolstering competitiveness, increasing the rate of economic growth in collaboration with the private sector, and attracting investment.
Al-Ghamdi pointed out that the service provider will establish and rent the dialysis centers distributed all over the Kingdom's regions and provinces, and provide all required tools for furnishing and equipping them, as well as securing the necessary devices, consumables and integrated medical staff, according to the highest quality standards. By so doing, effective and distinctive therapeutic methods will be provided. “The company will take over 93 centers, and the 3-phase project will last for five years, targeting 10,000 patients with renal failure,” said Dr. al-Ghamdi. “The next phases are to be commenced only after meeting all indicators of success which include the assessment of clinical and laboratory performance, patient's satisfaction, morbidity and mortality.”
Furthermore, Dr. Al-Ghamdi said, "The first phase of the project, spanning 24 months, is projected to focus on the big cities with high-density population which host the main dialysis centers. In the second phase, scheduled to be implemented in a time span of 12 months, the service will be provided to the medium population cities, while in the same time completing the rest of the major cities. During the third phase, spanning six months, the service will be provided to the remaining cities and peripheral centers in the Kingdom."
Al-Ghamdi reiterated that the next phases are to be commenced only after meeting all indicators of success which include the assessment of clinical and laboratory performance, patient's satisfaction, morbidity and mortality. He further expounded that, "during the 24-month first phase, the focus will be on the main cities of high-density population, which are hosting major dialysis centers. During this phase, the service is scheduled to be provided on three sub-phases: A, B and C (spanning 9 months,9 months and 6 months respectively), serving 30% of the patients during each of the first two sub-phases, and 40% during the third sub-phase. At the end every 6 months, periodic assessment will be done based on performance indicators. Following the first phase, a comprehensive assessment will be done, and after confirming the success of the program and that the treatment process are progressing well, we will proceed to the next phases."
During the second 12-month phase, the service will be provided to the medium cities, while in the same time completing the remaining main cities.
Still, during the third 6-month phase, the service will be provided to the remaining cities and peripheral centers in the Kingdom. Also, RFP documents were prepared; they included the terms and conditions, technical specifications for devices, construction and performance standards, and also a self-employment program was created for supervising and following up the project at central and peripheral levels. The number of patients to be transferred to the companies amounted to 5,445 during the first phase and 2,340 during the second phase, and 2,007 during the third phase, with a cumulative total of 9,792 patients. While the number of new centers to be established by the companies will mount to 32 centers during the first phase, 16 during the second phase and 26 during the third phase, bringing the total to 74 centers. And the centers to be rented from the MOH's existing centers will reach 17 centers during the first phase, 10 during the second phase and 66 during the third phase, totaling 93 centers.
It is noteworthy that the dialysis unit at Prince Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz Hospital serves 200 patients, as part of the first phase of the project.