Jeddah, August 29: Medical regulations in Saudi Arabia would be reviewed in view of Dengue and swine flu, said Health Minister Dr Abdullah Al Rabeah.
“We are working on a primary health project and on organising committees for comprehensive health care, as well as bringing in experts to give greater independence to health zones and link them to main hospitals,” the minister said at a meeting with newspapers editors-in-chief in Riyadh on Wednesday.
He said a team had been set up to inspect both public and private hospitals to check the standard of operation ahead of the implementation of three international standards at all hospitals by the end of the current month.
He added that the Medical Licencing Administration was looking into allegations levelled against the private sector over price-fixing of swine flu virus tests for Saudi nationals.
The state is to bear the swine flu treatment cost for Saudis, expatriates and Umrah pilgrims as per the instructions issued by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. Al Rabeah said the Umrah season was progressing smoothly with no signs of increase in the number of swine flu cases so far.
“The good news is that around 95 per cent of swine flu cases reported in the kingdom have recovered. There are only 65 swine flu patients in hospitals throughout the kingdom,” he said.
Al Rabeah urged the media to play a responsible and reassuring role by creating awareness in a way that elevates the people’s understanding of the disease so that they tackle it without panic. The minister ruled out any postponement of the beginning of the school year. “The plan for schools will begin a week before they reopen with awareness campaigns in which the ministry hopes the media will play an important part,” he said.
He explained that the previously announced move to give seven days’ sick leave to persons testing positive for swine flu, was in accordance with World Health Organisation recommendations. He reiterated that the kingdom was one of the least affected countries by the swine flu virus.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health on Thursday announced the deaths of two Saudis from swine flu, taking the tall to 19.
In a related development, charities in the Holy City of Makkah offering free Iftar meals have been told to provide in each food package a face mask as part of precautionary measures against the spread of swine flu.
The Makkah Governorate order, which applies to some 27 charities working in and around the Grand Mosque, also warns charities to refrain from inserting religious awareness messages in Iftar packs and bans them from handing out money.
The organisations have also been told to stop promoting their own charity schemes and charitable food programmes without prior approval from a governorate committee and adherence to official restrictions.
–Agencies