Despite the assurance from Abdullah Al-Rabeah, Minister of Health, to improve health services in the Northern Frontier, things have not been any better here. The area still suffers from low-quality health service, lack of specialized doctors to perform surgeries, and insufficient beds. Besides, cases of medical errors in the region have also increased. Such factors have forced some residents of the Northern Frontier to travel to Jordan for treatment by specialized doctors and access to high-quality medical services. Last year, more than 19,000 Saudi patients received medical treatment at hospitals in Jordan – a 15 percent increase when compared to the number in 2009 – while more than 40,000 visited over 60 advanced, private medical centers. According to an estimate, patients from the region spent nearly one billion Saudi riyals in 2010 for treatment in Jordanian hospitals, Al-Madina Arabic daily reported. Lack of capability Saudi citizens in the Northern Frontier cited a number of reasons for the existing conundrum. Atwan Ashammary, a Saudi citizen, said that lack of medical capabilities and long waiting list for appointments at specialized medical centers in Riyadh and Dammam left him with no choice but to make the 1,500 km round-trip for medical treatment in Jordan. “I've been suffering from a conjunctival polyp for two years,” he said. “I went to Rafha Central Hospital but they refused to transfer me to a Saudi advanced medical center because it didn't have the medical capability to perform the surgery. So I had to travel to Jordan. “I went to the Specialized Center for Ophthalmology in Amman and had the required tests done for JOD120 (equivalent to SR600). Doctors said I needed two operations, one for removing the polyp costing me about SR4,000, and another operation six months later to correct my vision. It again cost me about SR4,000.” Lack of beds Adel Al-Anzi said he suffered from back pain for a long time and went to Arar Central Hospital, where his case was diagnosed as friction in the lower part of the spinal cord. He was told that he needed analgesic injections. “The pain didn't stop for four months so I had to go to Jordan, where my case was diagnosed as disc problem that needed surgery,” he said. “I went back to the Kingdom, contacted some hospitals in Riyadh and sent them my medical reports but they said there was no bed available so I had to return to Jordan to have the operation there.” Faisal Ashammary, another Saudi citizen, said he was admitted to Rafha Central Hospital because of kidney pain. “Doctors were confused about my diagnosis,” he said. “First they told me I needed an appendectomy, but the next day they said I suffered from gallbladder inflammation. Then they did some medical tests after which they told me I had a stone in the upper part of the right kidney.” Ashammary stayed in the hospital for three days with no clue about what was wrong. He now plans to go to Jordan for treatment. Minister of Health Dr. Al-Rabeah has issued orders to set up a new department responsible for coordinating referral of medical cases. The department will be linked with 20 emergency units in all directorates of the Kingdom, with a mission to find beds for patients in any hospital inside the Kingdom. According to a report issued by the Ministry of Health on its website, a new department has been set up to provide hospitals in remote areas with specialized doctors who will make periodic visits. Doctors with all specialties will go to hospitals in remote areas to see patients, instead of patients coming to the doctors. The report indicated that ICU beds in all hospitals will be increased to reach the global rates. By the end of 2010, ICUs had 4,200 beds. All directors of health will have the power to refer patients with urgent cases to private sector facilities at the expense of the ministry, which will rent beds for patients with chronic disorders to reduce treatment costs, the report said. The MoH has also introduced the one-day surgery system in all its hospitals that have at least 100 beds.
