High costs prevent Saudis from visiting a dentist on a regular basis Most Saudis rather endure tooth-pain than visit a dentist. The report, which is based on a survey, has revealed some alarming statistics on the region's approach to oral health. Around 43 percent of the respondents in the Kingdom consider the high cost as the biggest barrier that prevents them for regular dental visits. According to the study 56 percent of Saudis said that they would only visit a dentist in an emergency.
Almost half of the respondents from the Kingdom have revealed that they suffer from some form of pain when it comes to their teeth, with 59 percent of Saudis reporting up to four cavities. Some key dental issues cited by Saudis were bad breath, sensitivity and bleeding gums.
Commenting on the data, Dr. Essa Nabeel Al-Essa, Managing Director of Asnan Tower, the biggest dental centre in the Middle East, said: "People often think all dental treatments are expensive, which is not true. For example, a cavity filling is a small procedure and thus cheaper. But if a cavity is left untreated it can lead to a root canal, which is more complicated and costs more. The best way to save money is to have regular dental check-ups, and treat problems before they develop into serious conditions." Read More
Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah said yesterday that all Haj pilgrims are safe and his ministry has not detected any epidemic diseases or malaria among the Haj pilgrims this year.
Al-Rabeeah said the pilgrims, who have already arrived in Makkah and Madinah, are in sound health. He also specifically said there is no incidence of malaria.
Although the coronavirus is still prevalent, there is no cause for alarm, said the minister. So far, he said, only two people were diagnosed positive for the disease.
Ministry officials are closely watching the movement of the virus. "We have alerted all the ports of entry in the Kingdom to check any suspected cases among pilgrims and regular travelers. Read More
Health Ministry officials announced Sunday a package of initiatives in the field of training and information technology to enhance the infrastructure of the health care sector.
The package includes a Healthcare Learning and Simulation Center in the Saudi capital.
The initiatives will be carried out by the ministry in partnership with the General Electric (GE), an official from the ministry of health told Arab News Sunday.
The announcement followed talks held between Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah and Chairman and CEO of GE Jeffrey Immelt, at the headquarters of the ministry in Riyadh on Sunday. Read More
Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah has assured the world that the coronavirus does not pose a threat to Haj and Umrah pilgrims.
In a statement at the end of the 59th meeting of the Regional Committee for the East of the Mediterranean at the regional headquarters of the World Health Organization in Cairo yesterday, Al-Rabeeah said: "The health condition of pilgrims is satisfactory. They are free from any kind of infectious diseases."
The Ministry of Health has taken all necessary steps to ensure the well-being of Haj pilgrims with 22,000 medical staff and eight hospitals in the holy sites and more than 150 health centers in Madinah apart from a number of hospitals, the minister said. Read MoreMinister of Health Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah will sign Saturday a series of contracts worth SR 1.18 billion related to the establishment of new medical centers and expansion of the existing facilities at King Fahd Medical City (KFMC).
The projects include the establishment of a comprehensive cancer center, a neurosciences center, lab building, a center for stem cell research and associated administrative offices and expansion of Prince Salman Cardiac Center.
The minister, meanwhile, will sponsor the signing ceremony of another contract for the establishment of a center for treatment by using particles at a cost amounting to SR 277.61 million, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Read More
How Switching to Decaf could Save your Sight: Drinking Three Cups of Coffee a Day Linked with Vision Loss and Blindness
Drinking more than three cups of coffee a day may increase the risk of vision loss and blindness, according to American research.
Even moderate amounts of the drink make developing the devastating eye condition glaucoma more likely.
The study, published in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, suggests coffee lovers reduce their intake to reduce their chances of developing the condition.
Glaucoma occurs when the drainage tubes within the eye become slightly blocked.
This prevents eye fluid from draining properly, causing pressure to build up.
When the fluid cannot drain properly, pressure builds up. Read MoreJEDDAH About 150 foreign employees at the Maternity and Children's Hospital in Aziziyah, Jeddah, are awaiting a decision by the Labor Ministry over their complaint about delays in payment of salaries by the contracting company that hired them.
The workers said they would stop work if their employer does not pay all outstanding dues, including back pay for four months.
The workers approached the Ministry of Labor seeking its intervention after the company turned a deaf ear to instructions given by Jeddah Health Affairs to redress the grievances of the workers, many of whom had their residency permits expired. Read More
