JEDDAH, 29 October 2006 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah is set to open a new private hospital called the International Medical Center in Jeddah today.

The new medical center is said to have a capacity of 3,000 beds and will specialize in various medical fields. The center is being opened with the cooperation of the Cleveland Clinic in the United States.

Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie said that the private sector is very important and is instrumental in supporting the government-run health care system by providing advanced medical services.

Al-Manie added that the ministry is paying attention to the private sector by providing them with all sorts of facilities to encourage investment. “The attendance of custodian of the two holy mosques at the opening of this center shows King Abdullah is a big supporter of the private sector,” he said.

Dr. Khaled Marghalani, a Health Ministry spokesman, said private hospitals make up 31 percent of the total number of hospitals in the Kingdom. He added that there are 113 private hospitals that provide 11,135 beds. There are 13,788 doctors, 2,466 dentists, 5,370 pharmacists and 17,810 nurses employed in the private sector.

Marghalani said that the International Medical Center has shown a strong sense of devotion by joining the internationally known Cleveland Clinic, a leading hospital in heart surgery, pediatrics and bone surgery.

The new center, located on Hail Street, cost half a billion riyals to build.