The Saudi Minister of Health, Eng. Fahad Al-Jalajil, met on Sunday, March 13, with US Chargé d’Affairs to the kingdom, Martina Strong. Strong congratulated the Minister on his new position and discussed cooperation in the field of public health.
After the meeting, Strong visited the new SEHA Virtual Hospital (SVH), which is considered the largest of its kind in the world, with a network of more than 130 connected hospitals around the Kingdom, accompanied by the Medical Director, Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Hamoud. She also visited the Ministry’s National Health Command and Control Centre.
On Monday, March 14, Minister Al-Jalajil, met at his office in Riyadh with the Ambassador of the European Union, Patrick Simonnet, accompanied by the Head of Commercial and Economic Affairs at the European Commission to the Kingdom. At the meeting they discussed several issues related to health cooperation opportunities between Saudi Arabia and EU countries.
After the meeting, Simonnet visited the SVH accompanied by Dr. Al-Hamoud. This was also followed by a visit to the Ministry’s National Health Command and Control Centre.
SEHA Virtual Hospital
The SEHA Virtual Hospital was launched earlier this year. With a network of 130 hospitals around the Kingdom, SVH allows patients visiting their local hospital to attend virtual, real-time live video clinical sessions with top specialists from across the Kingdom. During the session, vital signs can be shared, while tests and medical imaging can also be taken and shared across the network of specialists to provide multidisciplinary healthcare.
The services provided by the hospital include emergency and critical consultations, specialized clinics, multidisciplinary committees, supportive medical services, and 24/7 home care services. It also includes a virtual service for patients requiring electroencephalography and radiology.
Minister Al-Jalajel noted that the SVH would make it easier for the citizens to obtain timely consultations. He said SVH is expected to receive 500,000 patients annually.
The launch of the SEHA Virtual Hospital is a major step in achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. One of its priority initiatives is the transformation and digitization of the health sector.
