Riyadh- March 2024- The Ministry of Health (MOH), with the participation of some relevant government agencies, has arrested a number of medicine imposters and violators in the field of health practices, as they were against professional duties and ethics, and they were referred to the Public Prosecution to impose appropriate sanctions against them, to ensure the safety of citizens and residents.

The Ministry stated that a one-day surgery unit in a private health facility was closed precautionary due to many violations, including enabling a nurse to bypass her specialty and work in the facility as a skin specialist, and the presence of two one-day surgery operating rooms without a license, and enabling some doctors to perform one-day operations without a license, which threaten the safety of patients. The Ministry has referred violators to the Public Prosecution to complete the legal procedures against them.

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MOH called on the necessity of adhering to the health requirements stipulated in the health systems, and the preventive procedures and measures followed in the Kingdom. It also called on the general community to get health services from licensed facilities and persons, and that displaying licenses in places where services are provided is a right of patients, and to stay away from medicine imposters and unauthorized healthcare facilities.

The regulations took into account the rights of practitioners and patients, ensuring the promotion of patient safety and the protection of practitioners and the medical profession, as Article Two of the Law on the Practice of Health Professions affirmed the prohibition of practicing any health profession except after obtaining a license. Article 13 of the same law prohibits examining patients in places other than those designated for that purpose. Article 10 also prohibits health practitioner from advertising or promoting himself directly or by mediation.

 It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Health’s compliance teams conduct periodic monitoring and inspection tours and follow up on what is published on various social platforms to preserve the safety of patients, and public health, and preserve the honor of the medical profession.