Formation of support groups for poor hospital patients sought

Former Shoura member Hamad Al-Qadi has called for the formation of associations to extend financial assistance to poor patients.
“Associations are the most important institutions of society that could help hospital patients in hospitals all over the Kingdom. The assistance could be financial or otherwise,” he said.
Al-Qadi said that these associations help poor patients materially and seek appointments for them in government hospitals for consultation or diagnosis.
“The associations’ representatives even visit poor patients in distant villages if they cannot go to the city and seek treatment in a hospital,” he said.
He added that there are few existing associations but they have become successful because they have a sincere desire to help.
He Zamzam in Makkah and Care in Riyadh has encouraged various civic groups to also form associations to help others including poor patients who need help.
He added though that there’s a need for more associations or volunteer groups to extend assistance or render humanitarian services because of the number of poor patients who need help.
Aside from extending financial assistance to poor patients, associations also do other things as their contribution to society.
One association aimed to instill values among the youth aged 15 to 25 through its campaign on forgiveness.
For this project, it worked on Arabic courses in various schools, colleges and universities in the Saudi capital.
“Forgiveness will carry out the main goal of our group, which is to imbue good values among young Saudis,” a spokesman said.
For the past five years, the themes of the association’s projects included respect for mothers, developing self-esteem, fostering the desire to succeed in life and instilling a sense of responsibility toward society.
Another association in Ergah district in the Saudi capital encouraged community cooperation.
SourcE: Arab News