NAJRAN/JAZAN — More than 50 medical staff from a number of government hospitals in Jeddah have gone to the Kingdom's Southern region to support hospitals in Jazan, Najran and other areas as part of ongoing efforts to back up Operation Decisive Storm against Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen. Dr. Mubarak bin Zafir Asiri, director of the medical affairs department in Jeddah, said the teams consisted of doctors, nurses and technicians. "More medical cadres will proceed to the south to support hospitals there. These cadres will be carefully selected so there is no negative impact on the city's medical facilities," he said. The Ministry of Health has also mobilized medical cadres from other areas to the South to work in hospitals there as part of preparations being made for Operation Decisive Storm. Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Al-Khateeb on Saturday made inspection rounds of a number of hospitals and medical establishments in the South to personally oversee preparations for emergency situations that may result from the ongoing military operations against Houthi rebels. Dr. Al-Khateeb said he was implementing the orders of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to fulfill all needs and requirements of health institutions in the areas along the border with Yemen. "The king has directed me to make sure that the hospitals are fully prepared to provide the best medical services and health care to patients in this beloved part of our country," he said. The minister said the region, like any other region in the Kingdom, would have a number of health projects to boost health services. After visiting the Najran old hospital in Aba Al-Saud neighborhood, the minister retracted his previous instructions to shift the hospital's equipment and manpower to the new hospital in Al-Shurafah. He responded to numerous calls made by residents to keep the 50-year-old hospital in its place as it served more than 100,000 people. The ministry had earlier decided to destroy the hospital and build a medical tower in its place. Meanwhile, studies in 134 schools for both boys and girls in various parts of the Southern region were suspend for a week starting Sunday and ending on Thursday. Issa Bin Ahmed Al-Hakami, director of the education department in Najran, said the halt was temporary and necessitated by the military actions going on near the borders. "The decision is meant to protect students and save their schools from any possible damage," he said. In the southern city of Al-Dair, studies in 10 schools were suspended for a week and all girls' schools in the areas of Dhahran Al-Janoub, Al-Harjah and Al-Qaidh in Asir Province were closed down. Schools and universities in various parts of the Kingdom reopened on Sunday following the 7-day Spring break vacation.
