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RIYADH – More than 400 literary men and thinkers from all over the world have been invited to participate in the festival.

The participants will discuss a number of topics, including the vision of King Abdullah for dialogue and peace.

Abdullah Al-Rabeah, Minister of Health, said that the festival represents a blend of the “glorious past, prosperous present and bright future.”

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ONAIZA/JEDDAH – Charities have called on government to take urgent action after it emerged that three ministries have compiled vastly different figures for the number of people who are disabled in the country.

The Ministry of Planning and Economy has said the number is 140,000 while the Ministry of Health has estimated it is close to one million. The Ministry of Social Affairs has stated that it disburses assistance to about 250,000 males and females with disabilities.

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JEDDAH – Pharmaceutical and healthcare spending in Saudi Arabia is expected to increase from SR9.94 billion in 2008 to SR13.09 billion by 2013, driven by the growing healthcare demand of the countrys sizeable and relatively wealthy population.

The positive growth trend reinforces the countrys reputation as a key stakeholder in the regional healthcare industry as Saudis drug market already accounts for a dominating 65 percent of all-device markets, in particular, are expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12 percent and 7 percent respectively until 2012.

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JEDDAH – The Stop TB (Tuberculosis) campaign was launched here Monday evening by a group of young Saudis with the partnership of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the cooperation of the Ministry of Health.

“We are pleased and proud of the work that has been done by Saudi youth and of their involvement in last years Stop TB campaign. Mohammed Bakhrieba, the founder of the Stop TB Group of Jeddah, and his team did an excellent job in creating awareness and promoting the campaign,” said Dr. Sami Badawood, Director General of Health Affairs in Jeddah.

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DHAHRAN – Prince Jalawi Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Emir of the Eastern Province, inaugurated the Kingdoms traffic week awareness program on Sunday at the Mall of Dhahran. “Beware Other Peoples Error” is the campaign slogan for this years traffic week.

As part of the 26th Gulf Traffic Week campaign, the Eastern Province traffic police department has organized an exhibition with the participation of 22 different government organizations. The exhibition includes activities which aim to increase traffic awareness, especially for youths, children and expatriate drivers through question and answer competitions with prizes awarded to the winners.

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MADINA – A father here has accused doctors of causing his three-year-old son to fall into a coma by failing to provide him with adequate treatment when he was admitted to hospital.

Hatem Manwar Al-Rewaithy claimed the doctors at the Maternity and Childrens Hospital in Madina were responsible for causing his sons condition when he was treated there at the beginning of this month.

Dr. Khaled Yassin, Director of the Health Directorate in Madina, said the Shariah Medical Committee is currently looking into the fathers complaint.

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NAJRAN – A Ministry of Health committee investigating the death of a woman while she was undergoing an appendectomy late last year, on Tuesday listened to the testimony of her husband.

Faisal Mansour Al-Makrami, the husband of Arwa, the woman who died on the operation table on the third day of Eid Al-Adha last year, accused the medical team which conducted the operation at King Khaled Hospital here of negligence.

After testifying before the committee, Al-Makrami said the investigation includes all those who dealt with his wifes case from the time she was taken to the hospitals emergency room until she was pronounced dead.

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DHULUM – The Ministry of Health has announced stiff penalties of fines up to SR100,000 and prison of up to six months for any health practitioner found to have spread false rumors about any co-worker.

If found guilty, the health practitioner faces dismissal and withdrawal of his or her medical license.

According to the new regulations, the maximum penalty may be applied if it is found that false allegations are made about forging of qualifications and moral crimes.

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JEDDAH – The Stop TB (tuberculoses) Group of Saudi Arabia will launch its annual campaign here March 15.

The campaign, to continue till March 26, under the patronage of Prince Mishal Bin Majed, Governor of Jeddah, is being organized with the cooperation of the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization in six major malls with new and innovative ideas for combating this deadly disease.

This year, the motto for the Stop TB 2010 campaign has been chosen by the World Health Organization which is introducing new ways to diagnose the disease and develop other research, Mohammed Bakhrieba, the founder of the Stop TB Group of Saudi Arabia, told Saudi Gazette.

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JEDDAH/TAIF/DHAMAD – Residents and shop workers in a southern Jeddah district are accustomed to seeing Muhammad Sultan running around in the streets scratching his body.

His elderly mother blames herself for her only childs condition. “For 16 years he has suffered from mental illness. I noticed his silence and introversion but I thought it would go away, until he was fired from his job because he had been absent. Maybe my failure to take him to doctors when it first occurred made his suffering worse,” she said.

She said that his condition has worsened recently, to the point where he often “ate the leaves of trees. But he doesnt hurt anybody”, the mother added. She said Muhammad spends his days sitting in front of nearby shops and only comes home to eat or sleep.

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