JEDDAH: Rapid population growth has created a need for more home healthcare, which can be provided safely and effectively, because needs for medical care exceed medical facilities' capacities, said Princess Adila Bint Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, chairwoman of the National Charitable Foundation for Home Healthcare in the Western Region. The foundation has organized a conference, held Monday at the Jeddah Hilton under the patronage of Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeah, Minister of Health and in the presence of Dr. Yusuf Al-Othaimeen, Minister of Social Affairs, to discuss the issue and work to increase home healthcare in the Kingdom. The event comes as professionals in the field are working to spread and develop treatment in homes and expand social services provided to patients – with the objective of achieving a decent life for them and alleviating their suffering, said Princess Adila. While the Ministry of Health intends to set up 244 hospitals with a total capacity of 33,000 beds and 2,000 primary healthcare centers, needs for care and treatment are greater than what the facilities can provide and a considerable number of patients can be treated safely and successfully in their homes, she said. Home healthcare can be the best, most cost-effective choice for people with medical needs that do not require intensive supervision, she said. Princess Adila said the conference would strive to ensure implementation of quality criteria in home healthcare and obtain support from decision-makers to enact laws that serve home healthcare, provide training and incentives to people working in the field and acquainting people with the latest developments in the field. She expressed the foundation's hopes and those of the conference organizers that the event increases the attention decision-makers in the Kingdom give to home healthcare and upgrades services to needy patients and those with chronic diseases. Dr. Salim Al-Dhahi, chairman of the Scientific Committee, said the conference would address six subjects through four sessions; 17 speakers; and 600 participants including doctors, specialists and people interested1 in the field and representatives of health sectors from within the Kingdom and abroad. Dr. Al-Dhahi said the most prominent subjects include increasing awareness of patients and cases that are suitable for home healthcare, addressing the psychological and social effects of receiving healthcare at home and the need to increase training for those who provide home healthcare. He said the media are an important source of information and a basic element in acquainting people with the concept and vision of home healthcare and described media outlets as the most important means of communication with regard to enlightenment and creating awareness. Sahar Mulhis, a member of the Foundation and a consultant in home healthcare, said implementing home healthcare in the local society still suffers from many shortcomings. As such, the conference will address the media's role in increasing awareness about social responsibility and home healthcare in the Saudi society. Mulhis said he and other experts will urge those in related sectors to upgrade home healthcare in the Kingdom and convert it to an independent industry, according to international criteria implemented by Saudi nationals. The conference, which bears the motto “Health and Humanitarian Partnership – the Culture of Distinctiveness,” comes after the success of the first conference, which was held in November 2008, Princess Adila said.
