A new decision eases the crisis in Bashir: Evening hours for 5 health centers until 10 pm
Khaberni – “As a first step,” Health Minister Dr. Ibrahim Al-Badour announced the launch of a new organizational and service plan aimed at reducing the increasing pressure on the emergency departments at Al-Bashir Hospital, by activating evening shifts in 5 comprehensive health centers surrounding the hospital, namely (Al-Quwaysimah, Princess Basma, Al-Nasr, Al-Muqabaleen, Hay Nazzal), until 10:00 PM, starting from April 1, 2026.
Al-Badour confirmed in a press statement that this step comes in response to field readings and data that showed that approximately 65% of the cases that visit the emergency department of Al-Bashir Hospital are classified as simple cases that can be dealt with within health centers, without the need to occupy the emergency resources in the hospital.
Al-Badour explained that studies conducted by the Ministry of Health showed that the number of visitors to the emergency department of Al-Bashir Hospital is about 3,000 visitors daily, with the largest percentage of them concentrated during the evening period, at approximately 60%, compared to 25% during the night period and only 15% during the morning period. This reflects the existence of pressure on health services during the evening period, which coincides with the closure of health centers, and confirms the need to expand the scope of service outside of traditional working hours.
He explained that these centers will provide a comprehensive package of services including family medicine
, emergency, radiology and laboratory services, in addition to a pharmacy that dispenses monthly and daily medications until 10:00 PM, and receives its visitors during this period in order to distribute patients to all centers according to the patient’s place of residence.
He explained that the main objective of this step is to redirect service recipients to the health level most appropriate to their condition, ensuring faster and more efficient care, and giving medical staff in emergency departments the ability to focus on critical cases that require immediate intervention.
He also requested that these centers be supplied with larger quantities and types of medicines in proportion to the number of patients and the type of diseases, especially monthly ones, as well as giving specialist doctors flexibility in prescribing the monthly treatments that the patient takes regularly from his doctor.
He called on citizens living near the five health centers included in the plan to take advantage of this initiative and go to these centers in minor emergency cases during the evening period and to take their monthly treatments instead of going to the emergency department of Al-Basheer Hospital to avoid longer waiting periods and to ensure faster and more organized service.
Dr. Al-Badour indicated that the ministry views this initiative as the first phase of an integrated plan, which will be built upon to gradually expand the experience in other areas according to performance indicators and the level of satisfaction of service recipients, stressing that improving the patient experience and enhancing the efficiency of the health system are two main axes in the ministry’s policies during the next phase.
The minister stressed that strengthening the capabilities of health centers is a fundamental pillar in developing primary health care, which is the first line of defense in the health system, and this will positively impact reducing overcrowding in hospitals, raising the quality of service, and reducing waiting times.