Healthcare Industry Development in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example

Culture and religion affect the state of people’s mental health greatly. The article “Mental health system in Saudi Arabia: an overview” (2013) states that the mental health industry in Saudi Arabia has recently undergone much development. However, during the research, it was revealed that many citizens of Saudi Arabia lack education which prevents them from properly understanding mental health issues in the community (Qureshi et al, 2013).

The quality of health care services is highly dependent on personnel competency. The authors of the article “Historical, cultural, and contemporary influences on the status of women in nursing in Saudi Arabia” (2006) point out that Saudi Arabia has a nursing staff, which consists of nonresident aliens. The government decided to improve the situation by making Saudi females visit nursing courses. Mohammedan faith has strongly influenced the life of women in Saudi Arabia and their professional activity as women did not have any opportunity to receive a good education and make successful carrier. Certainly, the such situation can’t improve the state of health care in Saudi Arabia. Now the situation is being improved, however, much work is still to be done (Miller-Rosser et al, 2006).

The position of women is an essential question to be discussed. The state of maternal health services reflects the attitude towards women in the country.  In the Middle East and North Africa, women need a great volume of medical services. The authors of the article “Cultural diversity: A qualitative study on Saudi Arabian women's experience and perception of maternal health services..” (2013) state that women and their problems are not paid enough attention, thus the problem of lack of financing takes place. The problem of gender inequality prevents women from receiving appropriate maternal healthcare services. The authors argue that more funds should be directed to improve reproductive health care services. Follow-up studies with numerous interviewers can show the real situation and will help improve medical care in the country (Karout et al, 2013).

It is essential to discuss the state of health and access to healthcare services within different community groups. In the article “Dietary Practices, Physical Activity and Health Education in Saudi Arabia” (2010) the authors emphasize the essential role of healthcare centers. The research shows that senior citizens, widowers, women, and people, who do not have higher education, often have bad habits related to their diet. They also suffer from a lack of physical activity. Healthcare centers make nutritive education and physical exercises available to such people to help them form good habits. It is essential health care centers work with all groups of people to make them hold a healthy way of life (Farid et al, 2010).

Notwithstanding that the status of Saudi Arabian women has always been low, the culture of Saudi Arabia itself demands women’s active participation in health care services provision. According to the authors of the article “Gender and Equity in Access to Health Care Services in the Middle East and North Africa”, Saudi Arabia's healthcare system sometimes needs the presence of a female person. Most parts of the women working in the healthcare industry of Saudi Arabia came from other countries. Negative situations may occur when the male patient is nursed by a female nurse and vice versa. Thus, the number of Saudi Arabian female nursing staff must increase. The results of the study are divided into five aspects: the differences in religion, language, sex, judgment, and nationality. The authors concluded that correct recruitment will improve the intercommunication between the staff and patients (Roudi-Fahimi).

The review of five articles showed that religious beliefs prevent the Saudi Arabia population from receiving appropriate medical care. It was also revealed that certain groups of communities suffer from the lack of health care more than other groups. They are senior citizens, widowers, women, and people, who do not have higher education. Saudi Arabian government should provide more people, especially women, with the appropriate education. This is crucial as will contribute to the development of the Saudi Arabian healthcare industry and make medical care available for all groups of the community.

The articles are very informative for me as a physician and I will use this information in my work with people who came from other countries, especially those who came from Middle Eastern states. The results of the research also proved that the state of patients’ health is greatly dependent on diet and physical activity, thus I will take this into account when working with my patients trying to make the patients of all community groups hold a healthy way of life. I will provide them with the necessary information regarding nutrition and physical exercises. I will be also more attentive working with women as it is essential to encourage them to take care of women’s health. In my practice, I will also try to provide my patients with more information about medical care opportunities to improve their knowledge about medical care in the country. Read More