JEDDAH: A Saudi health insurance company has delivered 21 drive-through testing centers as part of efforts to support the Ministry of Health in its drive for mass COVID-19 testing.
The service was launched by Tawuniya insurance company and is one of the Health Ministry’s “Taakad” (make sure) efforts to provide testing centers throughout the Kingdom, removing the need to visit hospitals.
Tawuniya has helped design and build 21 centers, covering all expenses in order to support the ministry. Some have begun operation in Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, Abha and Dammam.
“The mass testing campaign carried out by the ministry is one of the most important strategies that helps in monitoring cases where infection is suspected,” Tawuniya CEO Abdul Aziz Al-Boug said.
“Its an internationally approved preventive method to control the spread of epidemics,” he added.
He said: “We were keen to use our human and financial resources to support the ministry by establishing 21 stationary and mobile inspection centers to receive the largest number of citizens and residents.”
The drive-through centers can test more than 8,000 visitors every day from the comfort of their vehicles, and can conduct up to 20,000 tests per day. Each center contains 10 to 14 car tracks, as well as dedicated tracks for people with special needs and the elderly.
FASTFACTS
The total number of coronavirus cases in KSA reached 150,292.
The total number of recoveries in the Kingdom reached 95,764.
Once tests are finished, vehicles and facilities are sanitized in preparation for new visitors.
To use the service, Tawuniya’s CEO said people should make an appointment through the “Sehaty” app or call 937 to receive more information.
Meanwhile, the Kingdom recorded 45 new COVID-19-related deaths on Friday, raising the total to 1,184.
There were 4,301 new cases reported in Saudi Arabia, meaning 150,292 people have now contracted the disease. There are 53,344 active cases and 1,941 are in critical condition.
According to the Health Ministry, 1,091 of the newly recorded cases were in Riyadh, while Jeddah recorded 384 and Makkah 305.
The ministry said that 1,849 more patients had recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total number of recoveries in the Kingdom to 95,764.
Saudi Arabia has so far conducted 1,224,289 tests for COVID-19.
