The Ministry of Health (MOH) has closed one of its hospitals in Al-Baha Region for noncompliance with safety requirements. By this move, the MOH has underlined that patient safety comes out on top of its priorities and it will continue to apply safety and security standards in all public and private health facilities alike, meanwhile undertaking its supervisory and regulatory role in the Kingdom's health system. Besides, it highlighted that it will not hesitate to close any hospital for noncompliance with safety requirements, even if it is one of its own hospitals.
As per technical reports made by an engineering team from the MOH, the building of Al-Hagra Hospital lacks safety and security requirements, the matter which endangers inpatients; due to non-availability of emergency exit, and that the current firefighting system depends solely on hand-used extinguishers.
It is worth mentioning that the MOH's decision came as a precautionary measure to maintain the safety of patients, hospital staff and beneficiaries of its services. The MOH pointed out that an accredited consultancy office will be authorized to assess the building and make required design to rrenew it.
It is noteworthy that the hospital was ealier established between the years 1400 and 1405H as Al-Hagra Health Center. After adding new buildings in 1425H, it was converted to a prenatal diagnosis center, and was renamed prenatal diagnosis hospital in 1430H. The 50-bed hospital is now working as emergency and prenatal diagnosis hospital.