Taif health sector scandal reflects corruption in government institutions
A new administrative scandal shook the health sector of Taif. It caused widespread confusion in all medical departments, an incident that reflects the extent of corruption in government institutions within the Kingdom.
One of the employees reported to Saudi Leaks that the Director of Health Affairs in Taif Governorate, Saeed Al-Qahtani, had withdrawn from implementing his incentive in Taif plan for dozens of workers in the face of the Corona pandemic.
The employee, who preferred to remain anonymous, explained that Al-Qahtani refuses to sign letters of thanks and appreciation to all employees working in the fight against Corona.
He said that the most dangerous thing in this matter is that Al-Qahtani retreated from giving these employees priority during the Hajj season and prioritizing disbursing allowances and providing services and assistance to their families.
“These privileges were given to some employees, and others were deprived of them, in light of the refusal of the Director of Health Affairs to fulfil promises and adopt incentives.”
The administrative scandal sheds light on corruption and looting of money in Saudi Arabia, in light of the involvement of senior princes and officials in the Al Saud regime, in light of successive scandals that resonated in international circles.
Recent data reveal that the corruption bill engulfing the Gulf is enormous, as it has amounted during the last five years to about $320 billion, according to a report by London-based Capital Economics.
Saudi Arabia leads the Gulf countries in terms of the number of corruption cases and the number of looted funds worth 180 billion dollars. Corruption has become rampant in many economic activities in the Kingdom.
Observers unanimously underestimate the efficiency of the Al Saud regime in confronting the Coronavirus crisis.
Observers highlight that the most important criteria for managing the crisis require transparency and frankness. They wonder how to judge the authority’sauthority’s success in light of the lack of information that the regime monopolizes and practices lies and misinformation.
The health system in the Kingdom suffers from continuous neglect for many years.
The spending data of the Al Saud regime shows a significant imbalance in focusing on military deals at the expense of health and education services, which negatively affects the Kingdom’sKingdom’s citizens and expatriates.
The Kingdom’s budget showed a deficit of about 34 billion riyals, and a decline in public revenues by about 22% in the first quarter of 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. Public expenditures increased during the same comparison period by 4%.
The data of the Ministry of Finance indicated that the results of the first quarter of 2020 increased public debt amounting to 46 billion riyals.
What is remarkable about the detailed budget performance figures for the first quarter of 2020 is that military spending increased by 6% over the same period in 2019. However, there was a decline of 13% of expenditures on health and social development when the Kingdom is facing health burdens caused by the Corona crisis.
