Saudi Gazette report

MAKKAH — The residents of Al-Haj Street and Al-Maabadah districts in Makkah have been complaining that the health centers in their areas are a source of great trouble for them because of a lack of car parks to accommodate the large number of patients who come there every day.

The residents say the two health centers housed in rented buildings for more than two decades are very small in size and become easily crowded.

They asked the Department of Health Affairs to shift the health centers to new and purpose-built government buildings.

The residents urged the Health Affairs to put an end to their predicament, which has continued for long years, by moving the health centers to the new buildings that were already constructed.

The residents also complained about the substandard health services being provided to them by only one male and one female doctor at each center.

They called for increasing the medical staff and supplying enough medicines especially for patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

Ahmed Abdullah Al-Malki, a resident of the Haj Street, said they had suffered a lot from the weak health services being provided by the health center, which is small in size and located in a rented building.

He said they complained several times to the director of the health affairs in Makkah who promised to improve the services but nothing happened so far.

Malki said a new health center had been built in a suitable area inside the district but it had not been opened for the public so far.

Hassan Abdullah Al-Asmari and Mohammed Aziz said they suffered for a long time because of crowding at the health center, which lacked sufficient staff and medicines.

They said the center was usually congested during the time for children’s vaccinations when mothers assemble outside in large numbers.

He said about 5,000 people were registered to receive medical services from the health center at the Haj Street in Wadi Al-Jaleel area and a similar number of people were receiving medical services from the Al-Maabadah health center.

On the other hand, Hamad Bin Faihan Al-Otaibi, spokesman for the Health Affairs, said the two new centers would become operational within a few weeks ending the suffering of patients as well as residents of the two areas.