Saudi- New hospital projects to boost health services in Jazan 

(MENAFN - Arab News) New hospital projects with a total of 3,500 beds would improve health care services in the Jazan province, said Dr. Hamad Al-Aksham, health director for the province. At present there were a total of 1,500 hospital beds in Jazan, he added.

"A specialist hospital has been completed, which would provide a number of therapeutic services to treat cardiovascular diseases, genetic problems and complicated surgeries. Another Specialist center would be opened soon for the treatment of tumors, cancers and heart surgery. A women and maternity hospital would also be opened so that the region could handle all health situations," he said.

He added that the health department of Jazan was facing a lack of sufficient infrastructure facilities which was hindering the completion of some projects. He pointed out that cardiac problems and genetic diseases were the most recently referred cases outside the region.

Referring to the development of primary health care, he said that 105 of 161 existing clinics had been modified in accordance with the standards of modern health services.

"Most of these clinics have been upgraded to family medical centers with new medical facilities such as radiology, pregnancy scanning, laboratories, dental and eye clinics, treatment for chronic diseases and handling emergency situations," he explained.

He added that the health care program in Jazan aimed to establish several new health centers in locations that would cover villages and remote areas.
The Health Ministry of the region plans to provide all medical services, excluding some very advanced treatments dealing with the brain, liver, pancreas and heart.

He explained that the Ministry of Health had directed the concerned authorities not to assign any burden or drug costs to patients, although some drugs were still not available in hospitals, forcing patients to buy them elsewhere.

"The Ministry and the Directorate will ensure drug availability, and there is a fund of SR 23 million for the purchase of emergency drugs. We have clearly instructed pharmaceutical companies to provide medications first before claiming their money," he added.

Referring to medical errors, he said that settlements would be accorded to legal provisions, but penalties would be taken after deep investigations, and obviously this would take time.

He said that as a border area, the chance of an epidemic spreading to Jazan from neighboring countries was more prevalent. The Health department would work in collaboration with other government sections to prevent the spread of diseases from neighboring countries. .

The Ministry has established several health centers and medication points for the early detection of epidemics at the border, and the department has been supplying necessary equipment to these health centers to catch early-onset epidemic diseases.

Referring to the high prices of medicine, he said that the ministry was annually updating its pharmacological manual to cover all medications needed by patients.

"The Directorate has indicated the rules and regulations for pharmaceutical dealings and the violators would be prosecuted as well as the institutions shutdown in the event of irregularities, such as selling illegal drugs or price manipulation," he added.

He explained that the mountain areas suffer from many problems in construction and health services. These areas have been supported with the sum of SR 66 million for new projects including primary health centers, diagnostic centers, mobile clinics to control epidemic diseases and health education projects.

Hospitals in the mountain areas are mainly facing the unwillingness of Saudi and foreign staffers to work there due to the lack of appropriate schools for their children, markets, Internet facilities, public parks and entertainment venues.