Saudi aid team in Marib to set up cardiac center in Yemen

KSRelief team in Marib to study the situation for treatment inside Yemen. (SPA)
Updated 07 September 2018
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Saudi aid team in Marib to set up cardiac center in Yemen

  • The initiative is aimed at finding solutions for serious or difficult cases like cardiac disease or malignant tumors, and find a way it can be treated inside Yemen: KSRelief official

RIYADH: A medical team from the Kingdom supervised by a committee from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) has conducted a detailed survey in Marib to explore options for medical treatments inside Yemen.

Speaking to Arab News on Thursday after his return from Marib, Dr. Abdullah Al-Wadai, deputy director for medical and environmental assistance at KSRelief, who headed the committee said: “We were in Marib on Tuesday and Wednesday, it was a study tour about the situation there and how to implement the initiative of King Salman for establishing specialized medical centers for critical cases and diseases facing the Yemeni people.”

“The initiative is aimed at finding solutions for serious or difficult cases like cardiac disease or malignant tumors, and find a way it can be treated inside Yemen,” Al-Wadai said.

He said that the team is working in coordination with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance and the medical services department of the Ministry of Defense.

The committee, formed of KSRelief and representatives from the finance and health ministries along with the medical services of the Armed Forces in Yemen, met to carry out the plan for treatment inside Yemen as well as for patients going abroad for treatment.

“To execute the plan, we have suggested to start with a cardiac center in Marib,” Al-Wadai told Arab News.

In May this year, Al-Wadai headed a medical team from KSRelief and inspected a prosthetic limbs center in Marib, which has been funded by the organization for the second consecutive year.

The aim was to view the progress of work, implement the specifications of the contract with the partner organization tasked with the operation and ensure that services are provided.

The center fitted 305 prosthetic limbs last year for those affected by the mines planted by Houthi militias.


Red Sea Global unveils scientific model for regenerative tourism worldwide

Updated 45 min 58 sec ago
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Red Sea Global unveils scientific model for regenerative tourism worldwide

  • The report details the model’s rollout at “The Red Sea” and “AMAALA” destinations, backed by studies covering 8 marine habitats

TABUK: Red Sea Global (RSG) has unveiled a science-based model aimed at achieving a 30 percent net positive conservation benefit across its tourism destinations by 2040. 

The framework is now available for global adoption, according to a statement released by RSG.

Owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Red Sea Global is the multi-project developer behind ambitious regenerative tourism destinations like “The Red Sea” and “AMAALA.” 

As a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, the company aims to diversify the national economy while setting new global benchmarks for sustainable, nature-positive development.

CEO John Pagano stated that openly sharing this detailed approach will help elevate the global tourism sector and secure a healthier environment for future generations.
 

Map showing the boundaries of the Red Sea Zone. (Graphic from the RSG report)

The cornerstone of this initiative is the proprietary SIIG Model, a four-step framework:
• Survey: Establish biodiversity baselines and monitor long-term changes.
• Identify: Assess risks to priority habitats and species.
• Intervene: Execute evidence-based actions, such as regulating fishing and enhancing natural habitats.
• Gain: Measure and verify biodiversity improvements.

The report details the model’s rollout at “The Red Sea” and “AMAALA” destinations, backed by extensive 2022–2023 environmental baseline studies covering eight marine habitats and priority species groups during 2022 and 2023. 

A major intervention is the 5,015-square-kilometer Fishery Management Area in Al-Wajh Lagoon. The plan reserves 38 percent of the area for priority conservation—protecting 62 percent of local coral reefs—while allocating 61 percent for sustainable fishing.

According to scientific modeling, eliminating fishing in high-protection zones could increase reef fish populations by 113 percent, sharks and rays by 72 percent, and marine mammals by 24 percent. These measures are expected to boost coral resilience, support ecosystem recovery, and protect vulnerable species like sea turtles and seabirds.
Ihab Kindi, RSG’s Red Sea Destination Executive Director, called the data-driven model a practical roadmap for large-scale marine recovery. The complete methodology is available in the new report, “The SIIG Model: A Roadmap Toward Achieving Measurable Conservation Gains.”