Saudi: Unqualified Health Practitioners Arrested
The Saudi Ministry of Health announced the arrest of a number of unqualified health practitioners in Riyadh after detection of their violations. The arrested persons were referred to the Public Prosecution to take the necessary punitive measures against them.
A one-day surgery department at a health clinic in Riyadh was also shut down. The ministry revealed that it was found in inspection that the one-day operations department was involved in violations such as enabling a nurse to bypass her specialty and work as a skin specialist, in addition to the presence of two one-day surgery operating rooms without a licence for carrying out one-day surgery.
According to ministry sources, the unqualified medical practitioners, who do not have a licence to practice health professions, had enabled a number of doctors to perform one-day operations. The ministry underlined the need to adhere to health rules and regulations, and to ensure obtaining health services from licenced facilities and individuals. It highlighted the importance of displaying licences on health facility premises where services are provided as a right for patients.
It noted that Article Two of the Law of Practicing Healthcare Professions stresses the necessity of prohibiting the practice of any health profession without obtaining a licence. Article 13 of the same law prohibits examining patients in places other than those designated for that purpose, while Article 10 prohibits health practitioners from advertising and publicising them directly or through brokers.
It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Health’s officials conduct periodic inspection tours, and follow up on what is published on various social media platforms to ensure the safety of patients, public health, and preserve the honour of the medical profession
