The Ministry of Health has called on polyclinic owners to justify the 35 percent increase in their service charges. Dr. Ahmad Al-Issa, Director of Medical Licenses at the Directorate of Health Affairs in Riyadh, said that charges are approved by the Department of Health Affairs in each region. The increase violates current government regulations, he said. Staff at private polyclinics claim the increases have been ordered by the owners of these medical facilities. Citizens here say that the increase in charges is not commensurate with the services provided. They called on the Ministry of Health to intervene and monitor charges in the private sector. Abdullah Al-Ruwaili, a citizen, said the increases cannot be justified. “Private hospitals and polyclinics exaggerate their charges. In the past it would cost you SR50 to see a doctor but today the charge has jumped to SR70 without any justification. Added to this, most private pharmacy owners raise charges whenever they want. No one is monitoring them. That's why you see the same medication at different rates in different pharmacies.” Statistics show that there are about 1,187 private hospitals and polyclinics in the Kingdom. Most of them are in Riyadh and Makkah regions and the Eastern Province. __
