Saudi health official visits doctor in disguise

A Saudi health official went to local hospital disguised as a patient to verify complaints that doctors were giving prescriptions without medical check-up. The act confirmed his fears that the complaints were true.

Mubarak Al Asiri, director of the health department in the southern Saudi province of Jazan, went to the emergency unit in the government Al Arda Hospital and asked for an appointment before he was allowed to go into the doctor’s room.

“He told the doctor that he was suffering from stomach acidity…the doctor immediately wrote a prescription and gave it to him without checking him,” Sabq newspaper said.

“After returning to his department, Al Asiri issued instructions to the hospital management not to renew the contract of that doctor.”