JEDDAH -- Higher authorities have approved the establishment of a new mental hospital in Taif at a cost of SR350 million, according to Dr. Abdul Rahman Karman, health director of the city.
"The new hospital project is designed to provide the best possible health services to people suffering from psychological problems," Karman said.
He said work was progressing well on the 500-bed King Faisal Hospital and 300-bed Maternity and Children's Hospital in Taif at a total cost of SR400 million.
Two more hospitals are being constructed in Qiya and Dhalam at a cost of SR18 million and SR20 million respectively.
"We have also handed over the land to a contractor for building a new hospital in Mahani at a cost of SR25 million," Karman said.
He announced plans to establish 43 new primary health care centers in Taif at a total cost of SR150 million. "We have completed work on some of these centers," he added.
Efforts are also under way to renovate the residential facilities for the nurses of King Abdul Aziz Specialist Hospital in Taif. It will cost SR4 million.
"We will establish three kidney centers in Kharma, Renya and Turba at a total cost of SR5 million," the health official said.
Spelling out other projects to be established in Taif area, Karman said they include a diabetes center at a cost of SR5 million and a central warehouse project at a cost of SR23 million.
At present there are 11 hospitals and 103 health centers in various parts of Taif, the Kingdom's summer tourist resort that attracts millions of tourists and holidaymakers from within the Kingdom and neighboring Gulf states.
© Arab News 2008
