RIYADH – Seven healthcare facilities were closed down here for various violations, Riyadh Directorate of Health Affairs spokesman Saad Al-Qahtani said in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on Saturday. He said the directorate's inspectors paid surprise visits to three optical centers, two general polyclinics, and two dental clinics in the capital. They found that some technicians had expired professional licenses while others did not have proper qualifications for the job they had been hired. The dental centers were understaffed and under-equipped and posted signs erroneousley claiming they offered certain medical services. Al-Qahtani said these healthcare facilities will remain shut until they comply with health regulations. The directorate warned that its inspectors will continue to monitor the quality of medical services offered in the private sector to eliminate any possible dangers to public health. It urged all medical institutions to strictly comply with its regulations to avoid penalties, the severest of which is license revocation. Earlier this month, 24 medical facilities and 10 pharmacies were shut down in the capital for various violations. In Jeddah, the Health Affairs Department fined and shut down 19 health facilities in the past six months. The Saudi leadership is keen to provide the best medical services to citizens and expatriates. In its fiscal budget for 2014, the government allocated around SR108 billion ($28.8 billion) for health and social services, an increase of eight percent over FY 2013 appropriation. The budget includes new projects for new primary care centers throughout the Kingdom, 11 new hospitals, two medical complexes, 11 medical centers, and 10 comprehensive clinics. At present, there are more than 132 hospitals under construction with a capacity of 33,750 beds and five medical cities around the Kingdom with a capacity of 6,200 beds. In 2013, 16 new hospitals were completed with a capacity of more than 3,700 beds.
