One hundred percent Saudization has been achieved in the eye hospital in Jeddah, Dr. Sami Badawood, Director of Jeddah Health Affairs Management, has claimed. At a meeting with nursing management here Thursday, Dr. Badawood said the Saudization rate in other government hospitals and medical centers reached 50 percent in 2009. Badawood said the increase in the Saudization rate in the nursing sector and primary health care departments was of paramount importance. “We are doing our best in this regard,” he said. Badawood's meeting with the nursing management was primarily to discuss a number of important issues related to nursing services in Jeddah, including the strategic plan of the department of nursing and other sectors. The discussions also covered the issue of nursing staff manpower and education, and a mechanism to enable the nursing staff to obtain training to renew their licenses. After successfully achieving a 100 percent Saudization rate in the eye hospital in the city, Jeddah Health Affairs Management is planning to continue its Saudization plan in other government hospitals, Badawood said. Health Affairs Management, he said, is arranging several workshops and training courses for the new generation of nurses. These workshops are aimed at developing the skills of nurses and ensuring their ability to work in this field. Raja'a Muhammad Jad Al-Haq, Managing Director of the nursing department in Jeddah Health Affairs Management, is planning to hold a meeting with the nurses this month to discuss the many problems they are facing.
