The Ministry of Health has ordered its Health Affairs offices to begin paying housing allowances to all doctors and dentists who are not provided with housing by the health authorities. The allowance, ordered in a ministry circular to Health Affairs departments, will be up to SR50,000 per year for individual housing for each doctor and dentist. Khaled Marghalani, spokesman for the Ministry of Health, said the move followed an agreement with the Ministry of Finance in order to improve working conditions in the health sector. “This will help achieve equality between all doctors in various government health sectors and improve the work by giving the staff peace of mind and social stability,” Marghalani said. The order brings into effect a Cabinet ruling from June 2009 for all health authorities and universities to provide, according to conditions, accommodation for doctors and dentists.
