Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar

Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar on Thursday opened the 300-bed King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH) on behalf of King Salman.

KAUH, at Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University (PNU) in the Saudi capital, is a teaching hospital with outpatient clinics, operation theaters and an emergency department.

Its areas of specialization include women’s health, adolescent health, and child growth and development. Other specialized clinics include obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics and urology.

The governor took a tour of the facility, and met with patients and heads of various departments.

During the ceremony, the Pioneer Award for Health Science Researchers for women was also announced.

The ceremony was attended by Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, national guard minister; Prince Turki bin Abdullah, executive director of the King Abdullah Foundation; Dr. Ahmed Al-Issa, minister of education; Abdullah Al-Qarni, undersecretary of Riyadh region; and Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Abu Aba, executive director of KAUH.

Abu Aba said the hospital is geared toward achieving the aims of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

In line with its objective, he said the hospital combines services with education and scientific research.

“Quality and patient safety is a fundamental pillar in our care model. This is achieved on a daily basis in all tasks performed by each individual or department within the hospital system, where patients and their families are safeguarded by adopting the best practices of safety and health care.”

He pointed out that emphasis was placed on students and trainees by providing the environment that achieves the highest level of field training in an academic environment conducive to education and exchange of knowledge.

PNU Rector Dr. Hoda bint Mohamed Al-Ameel said the opening of the hospital comes in the context of realizing the vision of the Kingdom’s wise leadership to make the university a beacon for science, knowledge, values and rehabilitation of women.

“In a world of unprecedented global and regional changes and challenges, our country is safe and sound, reassuring and prosperous because of the solid foundation laid by the founder of this country, King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman, whose policies and principles were followed by his noble sons,” she said.

She said the university administration pays great attention to be consistent with Vision 2030, to activate the role of universities in investment in human capital and to increase the active participation of women to find viable employment opportunities in the Kingdom.