Saeed Al-Khotani Saudi Gazette RIYADH — A female physician working at a government healthcare facility in Madinah has been fined SR20,000 for displaying negligence in following proper medical procedures during surgeries, said the Ministry of Health. The doctor was also punished for failing to follow up on a female patient while she was in hospital and not contacting her after she was discharged. The fine was approved by Minister of Health Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah. Also in Madinah, a male physician was warned for misconduct and failing to deal with patients adequately, while his superiors were told not to assign him any duties that required him to be in direct contact with the public. At a Taif government hospital, two nurses were fined SR3,000 each while a social specialist was fined SR2,000 for not handing a patient over to his family properly, showing carelessness in dealing with the case and failing to contact with his family properly. The ministry said the announcements of these violations were publicized as part of its policy of transparency. Commenting on the punitive action taken against the female doctor, a health source told Saudi Gazette that this type of case where a woman physician was punished this way was uncommon. He said: “Usually men were punished in such a manner. “By beginning to take action against both men and women, especially in government facilities, health authorities are demonstrating a determination to curb malpractices that involve patients, regardless of who committed them. “These are strong moves to curb malpractices and raise the standard of performance at government healthcare facilities and among healthcare professionals.” The source said this approach goes side-by-side with the ministry's initiative to improve the quality of services at government and private healthcare facilities by implementing measures such as quality control, accreditation and patient safety schemes.
