90% of MOH Hospital Chiefs Unskilled, Says Study
RIYADH About 90 percent of Ministry of Health hospital directors do not hold administrative qualifications, revealed a study presented at a Saudi Society of Health Administration meeting in Riyadh.
Dr. Humood Al-Shammary, who conducted the study and who runs Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Mishari Hospital, said his research covered all hospital directors in the Kingdom.
He said: "A third of medical directors do not hold bachelor's degree while 89 percent of them think that they don't need academic degrees to run hospitals because this is something acquired through experience."
Dr. Al-Shammary said when the medical directors were asked how they landed these posts, their answers varied. Read More
Popular Brands Named; Salmonella Cases in 19 States So Far
The nationwide recall of peanut butter has vastly expanded to include dozens of peanut butter, tahini, and other nut butter products, many sold under popular brand names.
All of the products use nuts from Sunland Farms. The New Mexico nut company is the likely source of a salmonella outbreak that so far has sickened 30 people in 19 states. Read MoreRIYADH: Health authorities downplayed yesterday the impact of a possible outbreak of a virus from the family of deadly SARS on forthcoming Haj, stressing that the cases remain rare.
"There have been two cases of flu over a period of time. This is normal," said ministry spokesman Khaled Al-Mirghalani.
"There are no changes to the conditions put by the Health Ministry to pilgrims," he said, adding that authorities remain vigilant. Read MoreImmunization During Haj to Reap Major Health Rewards
JEDDAH Saudi authorities have taken all precautions to prevent contagious diseases from spreading during the Haj next month, when nearly 2 million Muslims from all over the world flock to the Kingdom for the annual pilgrimage.
Millions of people from different parts of the world living in a limited area for a number of days or weeks can easily spread infectious diseases and epidemics. These people could carry the contagion to their countries when they travel home, raising grave concerns of global outbreaks. This is where the Saudi government has astutely stepped in with compulsory vaccinations for all pilgrims.
More than two centuries have passed since the first successful vaccine for smallpox was developed. We have come a long way since. Today's vaccines are among the 21st century's most successful and cost-effective public health tools for preventing disease and death. Read MorePanel Suggests Easing Hiring Rules for Private Hospitals
A committee of four government and private agencies has recommended employment of foreigners in private sector hospitals and clinics.
To nationalize health sector jobs, the government had made it incumbent on employers to seek the prior approval of work visas from the Human Resources Fund (Hadaf), with whom 8,000 Saudi unemployed health graduates are currently registered.
The Ministry of Labor's decision to oblige investors to get Hadaf approval was aimed at employing those graduates regardless of the ministry's rates of Saudization the visa-seeking employer had achieved. Hadaf's inability to provide sufficient number of qualified health workers led to many private establishments' incurring losses, according to letters submitted to relevant authorities. Read More
Amputee Becomes First Person to Receive Bionic Hand on NHS
An amputee who lost his arm after being hit by a train as a teenager has become the first person in the UK to receive a bionic hand on the NHS.
Since losing his right arm as a teenager in a terrifying accident, Mike Swainger has been robbed of the everyday actions that most of us take for granted.
But now, Mr Swainger is once again able to tie his shoe laces and walk hand in hand with a loved one after becoming the first person in the UK to be fitted with a bionic hand on the NHS. Read More
MOH's Press Release on Coronavirus (One of the Seasonal Influenza Viruses)
Ministry of Health (MOH) has issued a press release pointing out that, within the framework of the Ministry's strenuous efforts to prevent the advent of diseases, as well as its close follow-up and surveillance of all communicable diseases, and proceeding from its keen interest in embracing transparency in all matters related to public health, the Ministry would like to make clear that, with the acceleration of climatic changes, and the coming of the hajj season, a rare viral species of "coronavirus" (one of the widly spread seasonal influenza viruses) was detected. To date, three cases have been found out to be suffering from this virus: the first is a Saudi citizen at a hospital in Jeddah, the second is a Saudi citizen as well, whereas the third is a Gulf citizen in Britain. Two of them died, May Allah have mercy upon them, whereas the thir is still receiving treatment.
In its release, the Ministry explained that coronavirus is a well-known disease, and most cases are very likely to get recovered after receiving the necessary treatment, which is a simple supportive medicine meant to prevent the incidence of complications. Nonetheless, in quite rare cases, a rare species of this virus entails acute complications to the respiratory system and kidneys, which may lead to death Allah forbid! It is particularly hazardous for the elderly and those suffering from chronic heart and chest diseases, or immunodeficiency. Read More
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
