Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JAZAN — Several residents and patients have complained about the appalling conditions of Abu Oraish General Hospital.

Water leaks from the ceilings in almost in all hospital rooms and wards, including operation theaters.

The hospital's emergency unit is incapable of providing adequate medical services because there was a sharp shortage of medicines and some of the medical equipment have gone out of order. There is also an acute shortage of staff, which results in frequent medical errors, according to some patients who said the hospital was "in critical condition and dying".

Salim Saeed said the hospital was in a very bad shape and the roof might collapse anytime because of leaking water and rainfall.

"Every time patients come to the hospital, they suffer a lot because of the shortage of basic medical services. Some patients prefer to stay home and bear the pain instead of coming to the hospital, which lacks hygiene," he said.

Saeed said he did not understand why the Ministry of Health had not done something about the leakage problem, which had been going on for quite a long time. "Medical staff put buckets everywhere to prevent water from soiling the floor," he added.

Ahmed Samili, another patient, said people with limited-income come to the hospital because they cannot afford private hospitals and clinics. He called upon the ministry to quickly fix the problems at Abu Oraish General Hospital.

"The emergency unit can no longer provide any medical services," he said.

Patient Sulaim Ali said the corridors of the hospital were narrow and people could barely move around while the clinics were always crowded.

The shortage of medical staff is the reason why several patients have lost their lives due to medical errors, he said.

The hospital does not maintain any hygiene standards, Ali said, while calling upon the ministry to furnish the hospital with medical equipment and necessary staff.

Jazan Health Affairs said it started taking measures to fix the situation at Abu Oraish General Hospital and improve the hospital units and departments in order to provide quality care to all patients.