RIYADH: The Ministry of Health is working on a plan to convert 50-bed hospitals all over the Kingdom into primary health care centers. These hospitals constitute 43 percent of the total number of government hospitals, said Dr. Khalid Marghalani, spokesman of the Ministry of Health in a statement. ?He said the ministry has no plans to shut down these hospitals because they have been performing in a satisfactory manner. The ministry has stopped setting up such hospitals because consultants have refused to work in these facilities. He said the feasibility studies carried out by the ministry recommended the construction of 200-bed hospitals because small hospitals are a drain on the ministry's budget. “The National Project for Comprehensive Medical Care made it clear that the cornerstone of the medical services is primary health care.” Marghalani said the project has already been submitted to King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for final approval. He said the ministry is in the process of building specialized medical cities in the north and south to deal with cases that are referred from small hospitals. These specialized facilities have several departments including pediatrics and cardiology.
