Report highlights Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Charity Foundation's achievements

Crown Prince: No matter how much efforts we exerted, we look for more services for society

The Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Charity Foundation, under the slogan "helping people to help themselves," is offering its health care, education, academic, research and social services.

Reviewing the foundation's humanitarian and charity achievements in a report, Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, the foundation's chairman, said in a speech "I and my sons the members of the foundation's board of trustees seek Almighty Allah's help in all the efforts we exert. Regardless of all our efforts, we always look for more services for all categories of the society so that the foundation may perform its sublime objectives."

The report also included a speech by Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, the foundation's secretary-general, in which he highlighted the achievements of the foundation and the adopted plans and programs at the onset of the charity establishment's second decade.

"The first decade was one of establishment and beginnings but the second one would be, God willing, one of harvesting and studied steps for wider fields in the charity and humanitarian field of work.

"The foundation's performance during that time has mirrored the methodology of work based on the vision of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz to have the foundation as one a pioneering edifice in the domain of providing distinguished humanitarian services for the society.

"The foundation's branches and centers intensified efforts not just for the service of the society but also for developing it through upgrading health care, technology, education and housing.

"With God's help the foundation managed to make several achievements in the fields of health care, education, academic, research and social services.

Sultan City for Humanitarian Services:

The Sultan City for Humanitarian Services managed in its fourth year to enhance its presence as one of the specialized distinguished centers in the rehabilitation sphere as attested by major institutions concerned. During the past year alone, the number of patients who benefited from the therapeutic care and rehabilitation in the city reached 49,430, with an increase of 55% compared to 2005.

Expansion in therapeutic and rehabilitation services:

Thanks to the completion of the service system in the city, the doubling of human resources and efficient technicians and the implementation of programs specially designed for rehabilitation purposes, the number of patients frequenting the city increased in an unprecedented way, particularly the city's child development center, outpatient clinics and artificial limbs clinics.

The increase rate hit 115% in 2006 compared to the year 2004. The number of patients who benefited from the city during the past three years reached 104,365.

The City's comprehensive nature of service:

The society's growing confidence in the city's services led to the increase in the number of patients frequenting it on the hope to get special rehabilitation and care programs but on the other hand the foundation's strategy of expanding the services contributed to keeping up with this increase by the end of 2006.

The city applied an ambitious plan that involved the development and improvement of hosting procedures and services, the employment of new efficient specialists and increasing the number of beds in women & children rehabilitation units to reach 157 beds.

Memorandums of Understanding:

The city also succeeded to extend its services to as large a sector as it could, in addition to developing care programs in association with international therapeutic academies and centers.

Development of Human Resources:

The expansion in the city's services was going on a parallel line with the development of human resources and employment of specialized efficient workers meeting the needs and ambitions of the city. During the year 2006 the city employed 329 new workers and specialists in several fields, reaching an overall number of 1,236 employees.

Improvement of work environment:

The city's administration lent great interest to programs improving the work environment, development of performance through a telecommunications system, application of the hospital's developed information system, smoothening the division of labor, providing new services in the rehabilitation department, using programs of treatment by horse-riding, re-organizing the outpatient clinics and upgrading the workers' skills in health care for patients.

Patients' treatment fund:

The chairman of the foundation has given directives to set up a charity fund at the Prince Sultan City to treat poor and ill-off patients. Nearly 990 cases were treated at a total expense of 45 million Saudi riyals.

The Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has approved paying the zakat (alms) for the fund.

Charity housing program:

The Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Charity Foundation's housing program included the building of about 671 furnished housing units with all utilities. The program would be applied in six areas and cities: Asir, Tabuk, Najran, Ha'el, Makkah al-Mukaramah and Riyadh.

Five housing compounds including 600 furnished meters were finalized and given to the deserving categories. In al-Ghat province in Riyadh region, some 75% of the project's works were completed until the end of 2006 with a total cost of 168 million riyals.