His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, has launched the integrated Diaphragm Kidney Care Complex in Riyadh. During his speech at the opening ceremony, Al-Rabiah said: “The complex is reckoned the fruit of cooperation with international companies specialized in this domain. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has cooperated with Diaphragm Company to operate this site, in addition to other 27 sites. We also have 40 kidney care centers throughout the Kingdom, in cooperation with the same company and another international one, the matter which will promote the level of health services provided to beneficiaries.”
Within the same vein, he highlighted: “These projects launched in cooperation with specialized companies are the fruit of the remarkable success to allocate this service and provide it with high quality and professionalism. We are also seeking to expand the privatization of many health services.” Besides, he expressed his happiness with the presence of a distinguished center in the complex for training the national cadres working in this domain, in such a manner that promotes the quality of health service. He went on adding that the Ministry is always seeking to benefit from the successful international experiences and its leading products or outcomes such as the integrated Diaphragm Kidney Care Complex, the matter which will be reflected in various aspects, starting with the qualification of the national cadres to involve in the field of kidney care at the highest standards; which will positively be reflected on the services provided to patients with chronic kidney disease.
In response to the questions addressed by journalists following the opening ceremony about the increasing numbers of kidney patients annually in the Kingdom and how to control this increase, the Minister of Health replied: “The Ministry is very interested in patients with kidney and providing the best health care to them. Besides, it is significant that the health service, via 40 kidney care centers throughout the Kingdom, is developing more than before. According to the indicators, the level of kidney care in the Kingdom is reckoned one of the best healthcare services worldwide. The MOH is also interested in increasing the prevention of kidney diseases, especially such diseases affecting kidney (e.g. diabetes and others).”
As for the partnership between the MOH and Diaphragm, Al Rabiah pointed out that the partnership began five years ago, which is a successful idea that achieved better quality of services provided to beneficiaries. He added that the MOH is seeking to privatize a range of health services; in an endeavor to promote their level and beneficiaries can access them easily, such as the privatization of radiology services, rehabilitation, laboratories, etc. He stated that the Ministry is working to privatize such services, in line with the Saudi vision 2030 and the transformation trend for the development of health services in the future.
It is worth mentioning that this project comes as part of the agreement between the MOH and Diaphragm to provide medical care at the highest international standards in the region for patients with chronic kidney disease throughout the Kingdom.
The complex includes the Diaphragm Educational Academy, which will provide training courses specialized in the field of renal care, such as “Efficiency in Practice Program” for kidney transplantation and dialysis nurses. The complex will also include a room for the treatment of joint effusions of patients with kidney disease, which will contribute to the improvement of the effectiveness of infection control for patients, in addition to a number of 30 dialysis units.
Furthermore, the Saudi Center for Organ transplantation shows that the average number of Saudi citizens with kidney disease is annually increasing by 7%, and there are 17,000 patients with the end-stage of chronic kidney disease in the Kingdom.