Saudis are becoming more aware of the importance of periodic health checkups and many are now visiting primary healthcare facilities, according to Dr. Nuha Dashash, Assistant Director of the Health Affairs Management for Primary Health Care. Since Jeddah Health Affairs Management established the first family medical centers at the Primary Health Care Management two years ago, more people have been coming for medical examinations. People can come for many services, including dental work, pregnancies, diabetes and blood pressure, said Dashash. “We receive a large number of people who are not sick, but who come for their regular checkups, to make sure they are healthy and free of disease,” she said. She explained that in the past, many Saudis only visited the doctor if they were really suffering. However, this has now changed with the introduction of the family centers. Last year a total of 1.85 milion people visited the clinics. One of the most important steps taken by Jeddah Health Affairs Management officials has been to encourage people to have regular checkups by making physical examinations easier. She said that the centers now handle all the testing themselves, without patients having to run around to laboratories. Developing dental health care is also a major concern of Jeddah Health Affairs Management. Eight dental clinics have been set up in the primary health care department, and several awareness campaigns have been conducted at schools and malls. A total of 104,256 people have visited the dental clinics, said Dashash.
