The government has rejected reports that it has banned private hospitals from treating swine flu patients. Dr. Sami Badawood, the Ministry of Health's Director of Health Affairs here, said that there may have been a misunderstanding over the situation. Government has urged people to go to public hospitals because the treatment is free. This does not mean that people cannot go to private institutions where they will have to pay. He said the Ministry of Health “did not ban anyone from having treatment at private hospitals”, but it is looking “to provide free treatment and drugs for its citizens” at public hospitals. Badawood said the government is cooperating with several private clinics and medical centers to treat swine flu patients. “In addition to these centers, we are ready to receive H1N1 patients at King Fahd Hospital and the newly established King Saud Hospital in Jeddah.”
