Saeed Al-Khotani Saudi Gazette RIYADH — In its attempt to exercise more control over the private healthcare sector, the Ministry of Health has requested the government to amend Clause VII of the Private Healthcare Facilities Law, facilitating it to regulate charges of private healthcare services in the Kingdom. Dr. Ali Al-Zawawi, Assistant Deputy Health Minister for the Affairs of the Private Health Sector, said the request is currently under study by the relevant government authorities. Once approved, it will give the ministry the power to set healthcare service charges in the private sector. “The ministry will be in a better position to streamline charges for the benefit of patients and curb the practice of exploiting patients financially by asking them to get unnecessary medical tests or X-rays, for example,” he said. Dr. Al-Zawawi said the ministry considers the private sector as a partner in rendering healthcare services to people but in the light of increasing violations at some healthcare facilities, the ministry must be granted greater say in protecting the rights of patients. The ministry, the official said, will intensify its inspections and control of private healthcare facilities. “The aim of these efforts is two-fold: Firstly, we want to protect patients from abuse and secondly, we want to encourage the sector to provide quality healthcare services. The measure taken by the ministry by imposing accreditation on both government and private health sectors will only increase the quality of services in both sectors,” Dr. Al-Zawawi said. Last year, the ministry recorded nearly 1,625 violations in the private health sector by both healthcare facilities and professionals. Measures against these violations included temporary or permanent closure of 136 healthcare facilities and pharmacies.
