The Minister of Health Dr. Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Mane'a disclosed that his ministry has concluded contracts for establishing 1010 exemplary health clinics at a cost of more than SR3.6 billion. Following a signing ceremony of contracts in Riyadh today to set up a number of health utilities worth about two billion Saudi Riyals, the Minister said work is currently underway to establish and equip 2000 exemplary health clinics according to a comprehensive plan and a strict timetable to meet the requirements of all parts of the Kingdom. He said the contracts signed also covered the 440-health clinic third phase contracts costing more than SR 1.6 billion in addition to two 300-bed psychiatric health hospitals in Dammam and a 200-bed psychiatric health hospital in Assir. The minister drew the attention that the Ministry has in a previous stage accredited the establishing and equipping of 150 health clinics at a cost of SR525 million in the first phase and 420 health clinics in the amount of more than SR 1.5 billion in the second phase. On his part, the Ministry's spokesman Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Merghalani said the Ministry is currently working to reform the current social and preliminary health care service by introducing the internationally-common system of family physician.
