His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, launched “Farhati Program” (My Happiness). This program aims to share families’ happiness with their new-born babies, and raise mothers' food awareness. It comes as part of the package of programs carried out by the Ministry of Health (MOH), especially the programs that have to do with maternal and child health, such as the Healthy Marriage Program. This announcement was made by the MOH Spokesman, Dr. Khaled Marghalani.
On this occasion, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah expressed his pleasure to launch “My Happiness Program”, adopted by the Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital in Dammam. He pointed out that this program is reckoned another strategic step taken by the Ministry in compliance with the directions of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, May Allah protect them. Dr. Al-Rabeeah made clear that the Ministry is committed to the adoption of the existing and under-construction MOH projects, in cooperation with businessmen. He placed emphasis on the healthcare projects of the Eastern Region, and thanked businessmen and all those showing keen interest in cooperation with the Ministry. “We appreciate our partnership with the private sector,” Dr. Al-Rabeeah said, and then affirmed, “The Kingdom is keen to complete all these health projects as soon as possible.”
He went on to say, “The Ministry of Health pays close attention to all challenges, and is keen to solve all problems, and alleviate citizens' suffering. In doing so, the Ministry seeks to fulfill all the aspirations and future plans, including the ten-year strategic plans (till 1440 H). All such efforts are based on the directions given by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, to cherish the principles of justice, equitable distribution, and the comprehensiveness of the healthcare services. The Ministry has been taking momentous steps towards the implementation of this strategy, and embracing the prescribed values and principles. We're working in close and ongoing coordination with all relevant ministries to carry about all such ambitious projects, which shall be satisfactory for all parties.”
Speaking of blood banks, Dr. Al-Rabeeah emphasized that the Ministry is the largest health sectors owning blood banks. Indeed, there is a large central blood bank in the region, in addition to an extraordinarily large national laboratory meant to maintain the quality standards at such blood banks. The Ministry is making every effort, so that the region's blood banks, as well as other banks all over the Kingdom, could meet the internationally approved quality standards. “As you all know,” Dr. Al-Rabeeah added, “nine MOH hospitals got to obtain the JCI Accreditation last week, and more hospitals and blood banks are being prepared for this accreditation also.”
It is worth mentioning that His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, delivered an address before the inauguration ceremony in which he said, “On such a hilarious day, in this dear region, I would like to welcome you to this ceremony basically revolving around maternal and child health. The program we're launching today (Farhati) is intended to share families’ happiness with their new-born babies, and raise mothers' food awareness.”
“The Ministry of Health has embraced the concept of public health, which is reckoned a substantial part of the Ministry's effort. It's centered on the development and promotion of maternal and child health, in addition to many other programs aiming at the protection of people and preservation of their health,” Dr. Al-Rabeeah further expounded. “The Ministry of Health (MOH) spares no effort to provide strong and effective prevention program, making use of state-of-the-art techniques. To that end, the Ministry has launched the Healthy Marriage Program, meant to care for mothers' health during pregnancy childbirth. It also helps reduce the incidence of many diseases, as well as the mortality of newborns, and pays attention to the growth of both the mother and the child.”
“Today,” he continued, “we're launching another program intended to share families their happiness, and promote the concept of food awareness, including, in the first place, the importance of natural breastfeeding for both the mother and the child. It is a pleasure for us in the Ministry of Health to launch this program (1st phase) from the Eastern Region of the Kingdom of Humanity. It shall be moving throughout the Kingdom's regions thereafter, in order for the benefit to prevail. We hope that all health sectors will take part in this program, especially the private sectors, which we consider a strategic partner.”
His Excellency the Minister of Health called upon all health sectors, both governmental and private, as well as universities, to participate in the ambitious projects and programs adopted by the Ministry of Health, seeking to raise people's health awareness. He suggested, also, “contributing to a joint program, allowing objectives to be consolidated, benefits to prevail, and waste and duplicity to decrease, in line with the directives given by the commander of the development process, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, May Allah protect them.”
Dr. Al-Rabeeah concluded his address by thanking all those involved in the implementation of this program, as well as the sponsors and contributors. He said, “I hope that efforts will continue, benefit will prevail, and the wheel of development will never stop.”
After that, the Director-General of Health Affairs in the Eastern Region, Dr. Saleh Al-Salehi, said in his address delivered on this occasion, “The Health Affairs Genera Directorate in the Eastern Region, has been always one of the forerunners in the adoption of ambitions and successful programs, since the formation of the Patients' Friends Committee (in 1401 H), leading up to launching Awtar Program, which has recently won the e-Government Award.”
“We will continue to seek such excellence,” he added, “taking into consideration that the Region accumulates all the factors of success and excellence. We're, thus, working in line with the directives given by His Royal Highness the Governor of the Eastern Region, Prince Mohammed bin Fahad, and His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, not to forget the other elements of success, as manifested in the rich human resources, charities, leading universities and a highly qualified team of health workers in the directorate.”
Addressing Dr. Al-Rabeeah, Dr. Al-Salehi said, “Your directions I was honrored to receive during the last meeting with Your Excellency, assigning me to this responsibility and adhering to transparency, I have extended to all colleagues and participants providing health services. This coincided with the directions given by His Royal Highness the Governor of the Eastern Province and his deputy, encouraging us to make every effort to win his Governmental Performance Award, given for the quality of services and satisfaction of beneficiaries.”
He added, “Through working together to provide best-quality health services for citizens, we look forward to conforming to your directives affirming the strategic policy embraced by the Ministry of Health (MOH), to attain the effective integration of the provision of health services (both preventive and curative), making patients' health our focal point and ultimate objective. This strategic choice is the base upon which all developmental healthcare plans and programs in the Region shall depend. We are working to facilitate access to healthcare services and maintain equitable distribution, with a view to achieving the best and highest medical standards and indicators; which will be reflected, in turn, in patients' satisfaction and optimal use of resources.”
“The region will be witnessing the completion of large developmental projects,” Dr. Al-Shalehi continued. “These projects include the Mental Health Hospital (500 beds), Al-Khobar Central Hospital, Prince Mohammed bin Fahd General Hospital. That's to be added to the development of Dammam Medical Complex, Al-Qutaif Central Hospital, and many other projects expected to improve health services provided for citizens.
It followed that Dr. Al-Salehi thanked His Excellency the Minister of Health for this visit, and expressed his readiness for putting into action all the directions meant to attain the desired objectives.
He also extended his thanks to all colleagues at the Ministry of Health (MOH) for their unstinting support, and their prompt response to the Region's demands. “This should come as no surprise, however. We're members of one team,” he said. “Besides, I would like to thank my colleagues at the Health Affairs General Directorate in the Eastern Region for their great support and prompt interaction.”
At the end of the ceremony, His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, met with a number of families, and presented a greeting card, in which he inscribed these words: “Congratulations for the new baby. May Allah grant him a long happy life! .. Your Brother, Abdullah Al-Rabeeah”