During its last meeting, the High Medical Commission has approved the decision referring 67 patients for treatment abroad, including USA, Germany, China, France, Britain, Italy, Spain and Egypt.
The Director General of the Medical Commission and Health Attaché at the Ministry of Health (MOH), Dr. Mash'al bin Abdullah Al-Mash'al, has pointed out that most cases -totaling 27- have been refereed for treatment in the USA, while 16 cases referred to China, 14 cases referred to Germany, four cases referred to each of Britain and Egypt, three cases referred to France, and one case referred to each of Italy, Spain, and Malaysia. Amid the referred cases, 19 patients will undergo kidney transplant surgeries in China (15) and Egypt (4).
“The High Medical Commission has also approved the decision extending the treatment of 59 cases in the USA, 18 cases in Germany and four cases in Britain; that is to be added to other cases whose medical reports are being reviewed. These reports have been sent to China and USA for determining the possibility of their treatment there,” announced Dr. Al-Mash‘al.
He went on adding that the commission has referred 53 cases for treatment inside the Kingdom as their health conditions do not require treatment abroad, May Allah be praised. He mentioned that the delay of sending some patients for treatment abroad is due to the difficulty of getting appointments from the medical centers, given the scarcity of some specialties, in addition to the scarcity of the centers in which the treatment of such rare diseases is available. The Ministry contacts all the centers in which the treatment of the patient in question is available and the center which responds first shall receive the patient.
It is worth mentioning that those cases, in need of treatment abroad, are examined by the High Medical Commission, which acts as an independent and accredited authority, pursuant to the Royal Decree No. (8766/B), dated 28th October, 1998 (corresponding to 15th Jumada Al-Akher, 1417 H), and the Royal Decree No. (4700/B), dated 3rd May, 2009 (corresponding to 8th Jumada Al-Oula, 1430 H). The two decrees stipulate that the High Medical Commission is entrusted to examine all cases referred to the Ministry of Health (MOH) for treatment abroad. The Commission is composed of the health sectors in the Kingdom, including: the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Defense and Aviation, the Ministry of Interior, the National Guard, King Saud University and King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center. Thus, this Commission is fully aware of all the available capabilities of the specialized referential hospitals in the Kingdom.