Indian doctors who have completed 20 years of service in Saudi Arabia are likely to lose their jobs, courtesy the new rule in the Kingdom not to renew contracts of foreign doctors who have completed the above service period.
“The Health Ministry has banned foreign doctors who have completed more than 20 years service in the Kingdom from practicing,’’ Al Jazeerah Arabic daily quoted Health Minister Dr Hamad Al Manie as saying.
There are more than 43,000 doctors working in private and public hospitals in the Kingdom and about 78 per cent of them are expatriates. The new policy decision aims at creating job opportunities for qualified Saudi doctors who have returned to the Kingdom after completing higher studies from foreign countries.  Indian doctors must get the permission of the Assistant Deputy Minister for Human Resource Development for the renewal of their contracts.
The Ministry of Health runs nearly 200 hospitals in addition to over 2,000 primary health care centres in the Kingdom. Plans are under way to transform government hospitals in the Kingdom into public corporations in order to operate them commercially and improve health services. The project, which has been finalised by the ministry, would cost Rs 100 billion.