480,000 Saudis unable to access health services

HEALTH WORRY: More than 480,000 Saudis are unable to access basic healthcare facilities, according to a new report. (Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia is failing to provide basic healthcare facilities to nearly half a million of its citizens, according to a new Ministry of Health report.

The study shows that more than 480,000 people across the kingdom are unable to access healthcare services.

The ministry report, cited by Saudi Gazette in a report on Sunday, said the main reason was because mountains and desert made it difficult to reach two percent of the country’s 24 million population.

The percentage, however, was based on the total population rather than the demographic distribution of health care centres for which demand has recently gone up, the report added.

The Ministry of Health has suggested setting up gathering points for all of the scattered villages in the governorates where it could provide necessary healthcare services.

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READERS' COMMENTS

Saudi Health Services
Posted by Hal-Luke Savas, London, United Kingdom on Friday 13 November 2009 at 23:24 UAE time


Having been involved in Saudi Arabian health related construction, I have observed that best way to provide health care at inaccessible locations is to provide 6x6 truck type mobile hospitals and even Australian Bush Doctor type operation. Otherwise desert and mountains will always win!
Hal-Luke Savas MBA FCIM MBIFM ICIOB affCIBSE
londonmanagement@aol.com

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