(MENAFN - Arab News) The Ministry of Health yesterday introduced scholarships for health service providers in the public and private sector in the Kingdom in an effort to enhance quality health services from health service providers.
Health Ministry spokesman Dr. Khalid Al-Mirghalani told Arab News that the new program, which will begin next year, is focused on health service providers who are interested in furthering their knowledge and enhancing services rendered to the patients.
The program comes under the 'Patients First' project which was introduced by Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah who was keen on centering all health services on patients. "Developing the skills and knowledge of the health services providers is the duty of the ministry since it is interested in quality healthcare," Al-Mirghalani said.
He explained that courses would be conducted in all universities relevant to the specialization of the selected scholarship recipients.
He said that a circular has been sent to all regional directors of health throughout the Kingdom to inform health service providers from the private and public sectors of the selection procedure.
Hospitals that have less than 500 beds will be eligible to nominate 10 percent of their staff, while those hospitals that have less than 1,000 beds will be able to nominate 20 percent of the total health personnel. The nominees should have completed two years of continuous service in the hospital from where the nominations are made. The successful candidates will be awarded a bachelor's degree in their respective disciplines.
Health Minister Al-Rabeeah said academic degrees, coupled with practical experience, would enhance quality and efficiency in an employee's output.
"We have to equip our graduates and medical practitioners with a high degree of efficiency, competence and skills to run scientific experiments in many disciplines of health," he said.
Al-Rabeeah also outlined the contributions made by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah towards the development of education, health and training of manpower.
He stressed his ministry would assist all concerned universities in the Kingdom to support their efforts toward developing the healthcare system in the country.
