Saudi Arabia: Woman offering illegal surgeries arrested

Abu Dhabi: An Arab woman who allegedly was offering illegal medical services as a plastic surgeon at a private clinic in Ha’il, north-western Saudi Arabia, has been arrested, the Saudi Ministry of Health said.

An undercover inspector found the woman was operating without a valid permit in breach of Saudi laws.

The ministry said the arrest showed the continuing efforts to crack down on illegal medical practices.

“Practising medicine without a license from any health authority in the Kingdom has a dangerous impact,” it said.

These practices are done away from the control and follow up of health authorities and by people who are unprofessional, it added.

“Such actions do not carry any safety or security standards and are always conducted in unqualified or unclean areas.”

The ministry said that those practising without a valid permit can face fines or even jail.

Members of the public were urged to report any illegal or unlicensed medical practices to the ministry or their local health authority.

Ha’il city is the capital of Ha’il Region, and has a population of about 1,200,000.

It is largely agricultural, with significant grain, date, and fruit production. A large percentage of the kingdom’s wheat production comes from Ha’il Region, where the area to the northeast.

Ha’il is well known by the generosity of its people in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world as it is the place where Hatim al Tai lived.