Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi

 

IN a recent interview with Khaled Al-Faris, reporter of Okaz newspaper in Riyadh, the Assistant Deputy Minister of Health emphasized that the ministry is working hard to address the problem of insufficient number of beds in various hospitals across the Kingdom. He said that all those concerned are working on a specific mechanism under which the citizens can easily have a bed at any one of the hospitals. The solution lies in the hospital projects that have been implemented by the Ministry of Health (MoH), he said, adding: MoH has mapped out a plan until the year 1440H by which time it will add more than 60,000 beds to hospitals. Starting to address this problem would be completed within the coming two years. He also likened the current situation of the huge number of outpatients to some 40 passengers who travel in a bus with a capacity to hold 20 people.



At the very outset of the interview, the Okaz reporter drew the minister’s attention to various factors that contributed to the poor condition of hospitals and asked whether there are any financial problems for the Ministry in addressing these problems. The minister responded negatively by saying that MoH is currently not facing any financial problems and money would not stand in the way of implementing anyone of the projects.



Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah will not allow any shortfall in spending on these projects. The financial condition of MoH is excellent and balanced so as to meet all the requirements.



Then the reporter asked: If the ministry is not facing any financial difficulties, then what is the actual problem? The deputy minister replied: You may pinpoint the shortcomings if there are any. Then the reporter said: I will start with King Saud Medical City. Despite its age, it faces shortcomings in all specializations. What are the reasons for this even though finance is not at all a problem? The minister replied: Whenever we improve the specialized medical services, we face several other problems and we have to meet certain specific conditions. First of all, we face the problem of infrastructure. This means that when I think of establishing a heart center, it may not strike to my mind whether it consists of an ordinary room or whether it needs equipment or doctor or nurse, and I ask: Is it possible for me and you alone to become a football team? He then mentioned that heart is like a football team that cannot play without a smart goalkeeper plus qualified midfielders and strikers.



At that time, the Okaz reporter told him: You were mentioning about the poor state of our football. But my question was not about forming a football team with the involvement of me and you. The citizen needs hospital bed and a well-equipped room. Then, the deputy minister started explaining about what the heart required from catheter balloons and expansion of veins. The reporter asked: As long as money is there, why don’t you start a heart unit in this old hospital?



The deputy minister went on speaking about the special position of heart in the body of a human being and he compared it to a dynamo with water, its connections, water pressure and the possibility of a hole in the water connections. Similarly, about what is happening in the veins that may make the patient’s life in danger.



The journalist said: People are suffering and you are looking at it. The minister asked: Is this for publishing? The reporter said: Yes, it is. The minister responded: Why don’t you then sit with Dr. Khaled Mirghalani, the spokesman of the ministry? The reporter answered: People are satisfied only sitting with the minister or one of the deputy ministers who can solve the issue, and they don’t want to speak with a spokesman. Then came the reply from the deputy minister: Why don’t you send all your questions and so that I can prepare answers? The reporter said: This means that you don’t have trust in us. The minister then said that he had trust in him but added: I want to tell you everything that I witness from inside and outside. At that time, the reporter emphasized that he will not twist the minister’s words under any circumstances and that he does not want to incite any trouble but only seeking reality. He continued saying: The state is making available of everything and is not showing miserliness in spending on the health of citizens and even then, why don’t you work to fulfill that?



The minister replied: You are right. Then, the reporter asked: When will you say that there are vacant beds at our hospitals? The minister resumed talking about the plans up to the year 1440H. When the reporter asked him about the number of hospitals that are ready to receive patients, the minister said: There are 29 hospitals with us that are in the phase of operation. We have already opened 22 hospitals and we hope to add 12,000 hospital beds within the coming two years. Then, the reporter asked whether these figures are actual or imaginary ones as some people have already expressed their doubts. The minister’s reply was that this is real. The reporter drew the minister’s attention to the impediments faced by the citizens in emergency sections of hospitals.



Then, the minister again started giving the example of a bus with a capacity of 20 but there are 40 passengers. He emphasized that at present the hospitals can accommodate only 60-65 percent of those who need the facility. He said that the crisis will end within two years. While answering a question about the philosophy of the former Minister of Health Hamad Al-Manie with regard to health belt, the deputy minister said: Al-Manie focused on evolving a health belt of hospitals during his period. Regarding the poor condition at King Fahd Medical City, he said: That was in the earlier period. As for the children’s hospital, it was one of the best hospitals but now its condition has become worse.



At this juncture, the minister stood up and left for performing Maghreb prayer and then he did not come back and thus the interview came to an end. With all due respect to the minister, I can say that it was evident from his answers that he does not have sufficient knowledge in the affairs of the ministry and that he was not at all prepared for the interview. It seems that he does not have information to give satisfactory answers to the questions, that were raised by the reporter in a bold and professional way. What is the relation of a patient who needs a hospital bed with a football team and specialized cardiac centers. All these are important matters, and there is no excuse for the ministry if it failed to make available of them in the light of the huge budgetary allocations for the ministry, which are equivalent to the budget of a third world country.

 

— Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi is a former Saudi diplomat who specializes in Southeast Asian affairs. He can be contacted at alghamdi@hotmail.com