Middle East General Medical Practice Inside Saudi

By M.D. Kavanwal



In the Middle East general medical practices extend to all Arabs. Many Saudi Arabs live harsh lives, and as a result have a shortened lifespan in comparison to Western societies. With the scarcity of water, exposure to sun and heat, the average lifespan is approximately 50-55 years old. With the introduction of modern medicine, hospitals and advancing medical care, some Saudis are receiving treatments and medical interventions that were unavailable only a couple of decades ago.

It is true however, that those with wealth fare better than those without. Kings, princes and Princess live well into their eighties, and that is mostly due to the good nutrition and medical supervision, care and treatment they are privileged to receive. For an impoverished Saudi family, his life may be cut short, but if he is able to gain access to medical treatment, his chances are much better.

Many Saudis in the Middle East general need permission from the royals to gain access to care and treatment. (The procedure to get permission is complicated, and is recanted in the novel, Surreal in Saudi .)

Most are granted permission, and the government-run hospitals will admit and treat their own citizens. The problem is that for many locals, the distrust of modern medicine looms. Another factor is that diabetes, meningitis and tropical disease is rampant within this population, and by the time a simple desert dweller seeks medical help, it is often too late.

Once he is granted permission, however, he has a certificate which allows the sick member of a Saudi Arab household to seek the advice, treatment and interventions needed from one of the royal-run hospitals, or he may even be fortunate enough to be allowed to travel overseas for care.

Illness in the Middle East general Islamic Faith must be met with patience and prayers. Illness is considered to be atonement for their sin, and death is a part of a journey to meet Allah. (Death, rituals concerning death and the afterlife, are described in the novel, Awry in Arabia, which will be released in 2009.) Muslims are strongly encouraged to seek treatment and care.

Traditional practices, such as the act of washing and being clean is considered a middle East general practice of "half of the faith." Dietary restrictions as outlined in the Koran, prohibits eating pork or pork products, meat of dead animals, blood and all intoxicants. The definition of “intoxicant” is broad, and medicines such as narcotics, are used sparingly, and need an abundance of support for its use. Anything that alters the mind, body or thought processes, is forbidden.

When I was in Saudi Arabia, aspirin was banned. It is commonly known, that aspirin is an anticoagulant, meaning it can stop blood from clotting. The use of aspirin is helpful some cardiac and other conditions, to prevent the formation of blood clots, and other things that could lead to sudden death.

In Riyadh in 2004, some Middle East general clerics, in their wisdom decided that the properties of the anti clotting function of the medicine, was not a good use for women of the Islamic Faith.

They believed that if a woman had aspirin, her monthly period would last longer, thus keeping her in an “unclean” state for longer that what was necessary. If her periods are longer, that means not only is she unclean, but she is unavailable to her husband, thereby creating a ‘unholy frustration’, and this may lead him into sin.

They believed Aspirin may be one of the precursors to the introduction to AIDES into the country. It is believed that if a wife is unclean for a prolonged period, her husband had no choice but to go outside the country and seek ‘relief”, therefore it is woman's fautl AIDES invaded the country.

Another factor is that women’s heads are smaller than a man’s, and because they are, her brain is smaller and a woman is incapable of having the thinking capacity of a man. She is a lesser creature, with fewer brains.

If she takes aspirin, and it causes a bleed in her head, then she may die, or the result may be that she loses what little brain capacity she has.

Because of the increasing number of new medicines and to ‘save face’ in the international medical community, in 2004, Saudi Arabia scrambled to established the a Middle East general medical team, naming it, The Saudi Food and Drug Authority. They are a branch of the government made up of experts and consultants in the fields of food, drugs, medical devices and religious authorities, to determine when and how medicines should be used on the people of Islam. Aspirin, may once again be used to treat certain medical conditions, but it must be used with caution.



Middle East General Guidelines for medical intervention and treatment for Muslims:

* Must have a high regard for the sanctity of life.

* Circumcision of the male infants.

* After proper screening, and if no alternative, blood transfusions are permissible.

* Assisted suicide and euthanasia are forbidden.

* Autopsy may be permitted under extreme circumstances.

* Maintaining a terminal patient on artificial life support for a prolonged period in a vegetative state is forbidden.

* Abortion is not allowed except to save the mother's life.

* Transplantation is allowed with some restrictions.

* Artificial reproduction is permitted for a husband and wife only during the span of an intact marriage.

* Muslim physicians may care for AIDS patients.

* Muslims can have a living will or a case manager.

* Genetic engineering to cure a disease is acceptable.

* Human cloning is forbidden.

These guidelines are not solely for Saudi Arabs, but are applicable and adaptable for all Middle East general practices for Muslims.