MADINAH – Madinah Health Affairs has fined a local private hospital SR280,000 for committing several health and technical violations, including allowing doctors and nurses to work without licenses and shortages in medical equipment and supplies. Dr. Abdullah Al-Taifi, Director of Madinah Health Affairs, said 72 doctors, nurses and technicians did not hold licenses. In addition, the facility lacked an isolation room in the Intensive Care Unit, he said. There was a shortage of medical supplies and equipment in the dental laboratory and medical waste was accumulating in the laboratory department. The laboratory lacked a specialist and there was a lack of records for certain cases, he said. In addition, the hospital did not register patients' data in a register for checkups carried on expatriate workers. It only entered data in the computer, it was alleged. The hospital was also short in emergency medicines, he said. Al-Taifi said Madinah Health Affairs would punish anyone or any institution that was negligent. His department closely monitors health services in the region, he said. — SG
