JEDDAH — An annual bazaar is under way in Jeddah to raise funds for patients receiving home healthcare. The 17th edition of Bisaat Alreeh, hosted during Ramadan each year under the aegis of the National Home Health Care Foundation (NHHCF), will run until Friday at the Jeddah International Exhibitions and Convention Center. "The foundation received 2,000 patients in the first half of this year and offered them 4,422 medical and social services," Princess Adela Bint Abdullah, the foundation's chairperson, told a meeting attended by journalists, businesswomen and members of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry this week. "We currently look to partner with both the public and private sectors to expand the foundation's programs to include more patients," she said, adding that home healthcare helps tackle several problems, including a lack of beds in hospitals and helping patients receive medical services without leaving their homes, which will significantly impact them psychologically. Crowded hospitals, lack of sufficient beds and rising healthcare costs are also issues faced by patients with chronic diseases. The NCCHF allocates SR3,000 for each patient according to the nature of service he or she requires. For home care, a patient might pay one tenth of the cost of receiving treatment at hospital. The foundation seeks to empower patients to live independently at home as well as avoid high costs at hospitals by providing them with the necessary care at home. In addition, it provides the patients' family members with the required assistance and spread awareness on home healthcare. About 280 vendors are participating in the bazaar. They include well-known entrepreneurs as well as small and medium businesses. There are booths selling various products, including locally designed clothing, handmade crafts, abayas, traditional dresses, jewelry and home accessories. Returns from the bazaar reached around SR5 million annually. The president of the Bisat Alreeh committee, Randa Al-Fadl, said the bazaar seeks to spread awareness and promote volunteer work to support patients with chronic diseases. Bisaat Alreeh serves as a platform for businesswomen and entrepreneurs to market their enterprises and receive exposure.
