The Ministry of Health has said it is increasing the number of beds in mental health centers to 50,000, and revealed that 3,000 new doctors and nurses from abroad have started work in Ministry of Health hospitals. The “medical and nursing staff from Britain, Ireland, Nigeria, Azerbaijan and South Africa brought with them considerable experience,” Muhammad Khushaim, Undersecretary for Planning and Development at the Ministry of Health said in a press statement Sunday. Minister Abdullah Al-Rabeah, meanwhile, speaking at a meeting of the National Committee for Psychiatric Patient Care in Riyadh Sunday, said moves were being made for new mental health regulations to improve psychiatric services, with authorities studying the proposals and now await approval. The new regulations will, according to the minister, govern the relationship between the patient and the institution and its staff. “They underline the importance of protecting patient rights, ensuring their safety and good treatment,” Al-Rabeah said. “The ministry wants to improve the quality of work through the new supervisory guidelines for psychiatric and social services laying down work procedures in the hospitals to guarantee quality and protect patients' rights,” he said. Al-Rabeah said there were 19 mental health hospitals in the Kingdom, with others for drug rehabilitation. Psychiatric clinics affiliated to general hospitals, he said, increased from 40 in 2005 to 80 this year, and 14 specialist clinics for children and adolescents have been opened. The meeting, coinciding with the Kingdom's marking of World Mental Health Day, looked at the current status of mental health services and coordination between government and private agencies to protect patient rights. Khushaim said the total medical and nursing cadres with whom contracts have been signed have reached 6,700 consultants, specialists, resident doctors and nurses. He expects 1,600 doctors and 2,100 nurses to arrive in the coming weeks. In another development, the Minister of Health and Chairman of Health Services will witness next Wednesday in Riyadh the first forum for the presidents of health science societies in the Kingdom under the motto “The role of health science societies in developing the health system”.
