The National Health Committee (NHC) at the Saudi Council of Chambers of Commerce in Riyadh has denied reports that it has reached an agreement with Egyptian officials for legal litigations between Saudi employers and Egyptian doctors to be settled amicably. The NHC denied the statement made by the Egyptian Minister of Manpower Ayisha Abdul Hadi that her ministry and the committee had reached a new agreement governing the ties between the Egyptian doctors and their Saudi employees. The committee said the new contract the committee had discussed with the two Egyptian labor attaches was unbinding for Saudi medical centers describing it as guidance, giving the owners of centers the right to amend the contract with the two parties' consent. Dr. Muhammad Bin Salah Mutabqani, Chairman of the NHC, said good relations with Egypt would enable the issue to be resolved. “Relations between the Kingdom and Egypt are above the uproar about the recruitment of Egyptian doctors,” Mutabqani said. “Any dispute between medical institutions and Egyptian doctors can be solved and settled amicably. If no settlement is reached then both sides can approach the committee to raise the issue with the ministries of Labor and Health.” Mutabqani said the committee had received a report from the Egyptian official in Riyadh which referred to some unresolved disputes. He said the committee had requested the attaché provide them with statistics for the number of Egyptian medical staff working in the Kingdom and may be affected by the suspension decision.
