Saudi authorities launch campaign on safe use of home medical devices
The authority aims to reach diverse community segments, providing essential awareness messages and practical guidance to enhance health safety in the home, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
It highlighted the importance of purchasing home medical devices from licensed suppliers that offer warranties and after-sales services, including necessary maintenance.
The authority also urged the need to verify that the device has the required licenses and a valid marketing authorization certificate.
Given the wide range of available options and specifications, the authority advised consulting a qualified healthcare professional to select the most appropriate device for an individual's condition.
It also highlighted the importance of reviewing usage and care instructions, and obtaining any necessary training before purchase.
General safety guidelines include ensuring instructions are available in both Arabic and English, retaining the purchase receipt, keeping devices out of reach of children and pets to prevent tampering, and following recommended calibration and maintenance schedules.
The authority called on the public to report any issues or incidents related to home medical devices or supplies through the National Center for Medical Devices Reporting at ade.sfda.gov.sa/Home/NcmdrReport or by calling the unified number 19999.
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Nearly two years of war have devastated Gaza's critical sanitation, water, and electricity infrastructure, leaving most of the 1.9 million internally displaced people crowded in tents and exposed to mounting garbage, poor hygiene, and unclean water. The crisis is compounded by a surge in hunger-related deaths now exceeding 240 — half of them children — according to Gaza authorities, as aid agencies warn of a worsening humanitarian catastrophe. Since the war began in October 2023 until July 31 this year, the WHO has evacuated more than 7,500 Palestinians, including 5,200 children, for treatment in Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Qatar, Turkiye, and European countries. However, WHO officials say more than 14,800 remain in urgent need, calling for faster medical evacuations through all possible routes, including restoring referrals to the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The small number evacuated compared to the scale of need reflects the long, complex process. Cases are first referred by doctors, then approved by Gaza's Health Ministry, which prioritizes and transfers them to the WHO for coordination with host countries and Israel. Bureaucratic hurdles, host country requirements, and occasional Israeli rejections continue to block access to lifesaving care. Once children complete their treatment in Jordan, they and their caregivers are returned to Gaza, making room for new patients to be evacuated for medical care. Cyril Cappai, MSF's head of mission in Amman, told Arab News that while evacuations to Jordan were difficult at first, they have become more organized due to the presence of on the ground MSF teams and the Jordanian field hospital. The MSF facility in Amman currently hosts 25 Palestinian children from Gaza with critical injuries, along with their companions. Cappai said the comprehensive long-term treatment programs, which include orthopedic and reconstructive surgery, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and mental health services, last more than four months. 'The injuries we see often require multiple surgeries and a long road to recovery,' he said. 'We also deal with post-surgery bone infections, which need close monitoring and prolonged courses of antibiotics.' Rehabilitative and psychological care, which makes up 80 percent of the treatment program, is designed to help children and adolescents rebuild their sense of self-worth by providing adaptive tools that ease their daily life and support their reintegration into society. 'The key is to help young people live with their new condition as productive members of society who can get jobs, drive, and earn money,' said Cappai. 'Building mental resilience also accelerates physical progress.' A 3D printing lab at the facility designs tailored medical devices, from upper-limb prosthetics to transparent facial orthoses for burn patients, which help skin heal through pressure therapy. Psychotherapy sessions address pain management and help those who have suffered life-changing injuries cope with painful memories and trauma. These services extend to the children's companions, many of whom suffer from mental trauma and chronic illnesses. Each patient is usually allowed one companion, but exceptions are made for families with young children, allowing mothers to bring them along. 'We cannot let a mother leave her babies behind, so they come with their wounded siblings to receive treatment,' said Cappai. Young companions are kept engaged through play therapy, music, art classes, and schooling for those out of the classroom. 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