RIYADH – The Ministry of Health opened last year 600 primary health care centers in the Kingdom's various regions in line with the National Project for Integrated and Comprehensive Health Care. Dr. Muhammad Basulieman, assistant undersecretary for primary health care, said the ministry has worked out an integrated plan to provide these centers with general practitioners, specialists and family medicine consultants. This has enabled the ministry to provide 70 percent of total health services through these centers. He said these centers would further develop their services, especially after being provided with specialists and consultants in the field of primary health care, adding this will reduce the pressure on hospitals all over the Kingdom. He said one of the major objectives of the ministry's strategic policy is to have enough primary health services, so every center serves 7,000 citizens. He said infectious diseases still remain a major problem in the Kingdom and many countries.
