SAUDI ARABIA

Minister allays fears of healthcare employees

April 18, 2018

Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH – Health Minister Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah has allayed fears of public hospital employees who will be brought under a new healthcare transformation system, saying their services would not be terminated or transferred to the private sector without their consent.

The Health Ministry said it was still discussing with concerned government departments the future of employees who work in its hospitals that would be either brought under a self-financing system or transferred to specialized private companies.

“We are discussing the issue with officials of the Civil Service Ministry, General Organization for Social Insurance, the Pension Fund and the Cabinet’s experts committee to protect the rights of these health workers and remove their concerns,” a senior official said.

He said specialized panels in the Eastern Province, Riyadh, Makkah and Jeddah are working for gradual implementation of the privatization project. “The measures we have taken so far including training of leaders have been successful,” he told Al-Hayat Arabic daily.

The ministry is now completing legal and statutory procedures for privatization of its hospitals and medical cities. “We have made 32 achievements in this respect including 24 last year and eight during the first quarter of this year,” he explained.

The ministry has completed electronic linkage of its hospitals, launched an experimental central system for appointments and established a Saudi center for patients’ safety.

The ministry is exploring the possibility of expanding private sector participation in healthcare projects and has identified nine projects: X-ray, rehabilitation therapy, extended care, home care, laboratories, pharmacies and supply and import.

“We also intend to privatize primary healthcare centers and intensive care units and we have already awarded this contract to a specialized private company,” the official said.

He said the transformation process would take years as it concerns public health. “It’s not an easy task and is a challenging job due to sensitivity,” the official said. However, he pointed out that gradual progression of work would help overcome challenges.

The privatization of government hospitals is progressing well as the Health Ministry has taken steps to establish a holding company and five health companies covering all of the Kingdom's regions.

The new system, to be introduced first in the Eastern Province, followed by Riyadh and Makkah regions, would boost healthcare services in the country.

Health Minister Al-Rabiah has also issued an order to form the first health complex in Makkah with four hospitals and 11 health centers under the supervision of a consultative council at King Abdullah Medical City in Makkah.

The minister approved the consultative council at King Fahd Specialist Hospital in Dammam for the health complex in the Eastern Province with five hospitals and 19 health centers. It has divided public health facilities in the Riyadh region into first and second health complexes.

Dr. Khaled Al-Shibani, head of the office for vision realization and deputy minister for planning, said the ministry's national transformation program is a road map to improve the quality of healthcare services in the Kingdom, create more jobs for Saudis and realize the goal of healthcare for all citizens.

The efficiency of hospitals under the new healthcare companies will be increased by 25 percent by 2021, and 37 percent of hospitals and primary health centers will be brought under the companies by 2020. Each health complex will have a consultative council to supervise its affairs.


April 18, 2018
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