Saudi- Private hospital in Khafji closed, fined SR 100,000 

(MENAFN - Arab News) The Ministry of Health fined a private hospital in the Eastern Province SR 100,000 and shut it down yesterday for alleged malpractices.

According to an official from the ministry, the closure of the hospital in the Al-Khafji region was carried out yesterday on a special directive from Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah.
The official pointed out that this was the 10th hospital to be closed during the last six months.

He said the hospital had committed a series of violations and was considered a health hazard to society.

The violations included the absence of a responsible medical director of the hospital, inadequate number of medical consultants and resident doctors, shortage of laboratory technicians and lack of qualified nurses.

He added facilities such as the operating theater, intensive care unit, laboratory and dental clinics fell short of stipulated ministry standards.
He said: "Even technicians deployed in the hospital did not have the basic qualifications."

The official said the hefty fine was imposed considering the violations committed by the hospital.

He added: "The decision came due to the ministry's keenness to preserve the health and safety of patients and to pay full attention to perfecting the health services provided by the private sector."

He said these actions are being taken not only to ensure proper health care services but also to deter other clinics who may be breaking the rules.
The official said the ministry treats private sector hospitals as strategic partners in providing health care.

He also warned the ministry will not tolerate any blunders by any medical institution at the cost of innocent patients' lives.

In an official communique issued yesterday, the ministry said it wants private sector hospitals and medical clinics to strictly follow its Patients First program, which aims to improve patients' experience in hospitals.

He said that the ministry wants patients to have equality of opportunity when receiving medical treatment in any part of the Kingdom.

In February this year, the ministry closed a private medical center in the north of the capital for a series of medical blunders. The ministry found mistakes had been made in the center's cosmetic surgery section, claiming the life of a woman patient.

The ministry also found the center's administration had violated the Kingdom's labor regulations. Some medics and paramedics who were working for the center were also working for the public sector.

In a separate incident in March, the operation theater of a private hospital in Jazan was shut down and its owners fined SR 270,000 by the ministry for medical blunders committed by hospital staff.

It was alleged the hospital had performed a surgery outside its operation theater and on the wrong person after a mix-up involving two patients with the same name.

A senior health official from the Ministry of Health told Arab News the ministry is very serious in dealing with medical blunders by health providers in both the public and private sectors. He said: "Stern action will be taken over such medical mistakes in the interest of patients who visit these medical facilities. Surgeries performed outside the operation theater will subject the patients to all forms of infection."

The hospital was later referred to medical authorities.