(MENAFN - Arab News) The Health Ministry has chalked out an integrated health care system that covers both citizens and residents.
Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah revealed this while addressing a Shoura Council session chaired by Abdullah Al-Asheikh on Saturday.
He explained the progressive steps taken by the ministry in providing health care services.
Al-Asheikh praised the ministry's efforts in the establishment of several integrated projects that benefit the people. "This is an opportunity not only to exchange ideas between the two bodies, but also for the ministry to keep the council informed of its developments in the field of health care," Al-Asheikh said.
Al-Rabeeah explained that his ministry had chalked out a National Project for Integrated and Comprehensive Health Care based on the values of inclusiveness and equitable distribution of health services. These projects cover all segments of patients including children, mothers, adults and elders, he added. The plan, which was effective from 1431H (2010), will be completed in 1440H (2019).
Activities in looking after patients at home (family health program), dialysis patients, one-day surgeries, patients with chronic diseases, matters relating to communicable and noncommunicable diseases, and intensive care units have been stepped up to offer the best services to the people, he said.
As part of the SR 16 billion budget allocated to the health sector, Al-Rabeeah has signed some 50 contracts worth over SR 8 billion since January.
In early January, the ministry signed SR 3 billion worth of contracts with 30 private sector companies for health projects. They included the construction of hospitals, supply of pharmaceutical products and equipment, biomedical engineering projects, hospital supplies and furnishing of newly built hospitals.
Subsequently, SR 1.4 billion worth of projects were signed that included the first stage of King Faisal Medical City in the southern province, construction of a 15-floor tower at a cost of SR 448 million, a SR 252 million contract for a children and maternity hospital in Sakaka, Al-Jouf, and installation of generators and elevators at several ministry facilities.
The minister said there are 251 hospitals and 2,109 primary health care centers with 250,000 employees in the health sector. Last year, the primary health care centers recorded around 55 million visits, while 11.5 million were registered as outpatients in the government hospitals.
Around 256,000 births were recorded in these hospitals and a total of 430 surgeries were performed during the last year.
Under the guidance of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, the minister said that all activities of the ministry were patient-centered through its "Patients First" slogan.
