Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi citizens and residents can now get their medicines prescribed by some hospitals delivered at their homes free of charge thanks to a new initiative by the Ministry of Health, Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

Enhancing its efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the health ministry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Saudi Post to help keep citizens and residents stay at home for their health and safety.

According to the MoU, Saudi Post will deliver free of charge medicines to patients of four hospitals affiliated with the Ministry of Health, namely King Salman Hospital in Riyadh, the Maternity and Children Hospital in Dammam, King Fahd Specialist Hospital in Buraidah and the Maternity and Children Hospital in Al-Ahsa.

As part of the mechanism, the request for medicines will be sent to external pharmacies attached with respective hospitals. Upon examination and confirmation, each patient’s request is collected separately, and then the patient is contacted and informed about the shipment of the medicines via Saudi Post at his or her national address. The medicines are collected by Saudi Post and delivered to patients after notifying them with a message on their mobile phones containing the number which was used to verify receipt for completing the consignment.