HAIL — The Health Affairs Directorate in Hail said police have arrested a Saudi man who allegedly attacked a doctor working in a primary health center in the town of Turabah on Monday night.

 

This latest attack against medical personnel comes a week after a hospital in Al-Sulayyil disclosed that an unidentified man attacked doctors in the hospital’s emergency ward while another man threatened doctors with a pistol, Al-Watan daily reported.

 

The Ministry of Health has asked its personnel to sign official undertakings that they will not drop the complaints when they are referred to the pertinent authorities.

 

In a press release, Arif Bin Ghazi Al-Shammari, director of public relations and health information and spokesman for Hail Health Affairs, said at11:30 p.m. Monday a citizen attacked a doctor on duty in a primary healthcare center in Turabah, about 190 kilometers from Hail city. 

 

The assailant hit the doctor with a sharp tool in the center’s building where he worked.

 

The doctor sustained a fracture and other injuries to his hand. He was rushed to King Khalid Hospital in Hail where he underwent surgery Wednesday morning.

 

The assailant was taken into custody by the police.

 

The Directorate of Health Affairs in Hail denounced the attack, which it said did not represent the true nature of the region’s people. The directorate said it will do whatever possible to protect the rights and safety of its employees.

 

Meanwhile, an informed source said the Ministry of Health has stressed to its employees on the need to pursue criminal charges against assailants.

 

The ministry said the cases often don’t reach courts because victims agree to drop charges.

 

The assailant then evades punishment, hence wasting the time of the investigation authorities and preventing them from carrying out their duties.