Okaz/Saudi Gazette

RIYADH — A proposal has been submitted to the Shoura Council to establish an authority to supervise government hospitals, according to Khaled Al-Saif, member of the Council.

The proposal also calls for making amendments to the Kingdom’s health law aimed at improving therapeutic services and treatment facilities.

Amendments to articles 4 and 5 of the law in line with the proposal will enable citizens get all types of health services from both the public and private sector hospitals with the help of health insurance scheme, Al-Saif told Okaz/Saudi Gazette.

“Even though the Kingdom’s health sector witnessed tremendous progress in all respects, it is yet to accomplish a lot to realize the aspirations of the leadership and the beneficiaries of health services,” he said.

“The amendments will also contribute in increasing the role of the private sector in the nation’s social and economic development, thus reducing the financial burden on the government,” Al-Saif added.

This will also help relieve the Ministry of Health from some of its executive responsibilities and focus on planning, organization, supervision, monitoring and prevention.

The proposal also calls for creating a general authority for government specialist and referral hospitals and taking advantage of international experiments and practices in offering health services and their funding. It is also proposed that cooperative health insurance would be one of the major features in the provision of health services.

Al-Saif said the amendment to Article 4 of the law will enable the State providing health services to citizens through the health insurance program extended by the Government Fund for Health Services.

The beneficiaries of health services will meet a portion of the expense, which should not exceed 5 percent.

The proposed fund will take a final decision on the amount of contribution, he added.