Saudi Arabia’s first electronic cochlear implant performed in Jubail 

A cochlear implant is a device that provides a sense of sound to a person with moderate to profound hearing loss. (Shutterstock)
Updated 23 April 2019
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Saudi Arabia’s first electronic cochlear implant performed in Jubail 

  • The implant was successfully conducted for a 15-month-old baby who was born completely deaf

JUBAIL: A medical team at the Royal Commission Hospital in Jubail has performed Saudi Arabia’s first electronic cochlear implant operation.

The head of the team, Dr. Mohammed Al-Sheikh, said the implant was successfully conducted for a 15-month-old baby who was born completely deaf. An Auditory Brainstem Response test was previously run to ascertain the nature of the baby’s condition when the parents noticed its failure to respond to sound.

Dr. Mohammed Al-Muqbel, head of the health services program at the Royal Commission in Jubail, praised the efforts of Al-Sheikh and his staff. Al-Sheikh added that credit was also due to the Newborn Hearing Screening Program at the hospital, which worked in collaboration with the audiology unit to provide early intervention and treatment for babies born with hearing defects.

The operation, meanwhile, represents a groundbreaking moment in technological development for Saudi medicine, making the next generation of auditory aids available to citizens, and removing barriers for deaf children from an increasingly early age.
 


Saudi Cabinet reviews cooperation and agreements with other nations

Updated 25 February 2026
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Saudi Cabinet reviews cooperation and agreements with other nations

  • Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairs meeting and briefs ministers on his recent meeting with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi
  • Cooperative efforts includes projects focusing on development and education, political consultations, environmental protection, health, investment and air transport

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers reviewed a number of domestic and international matters during a session in Jeddah on Tuesday chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The crown prince briefed the Cabinet on his recent meeting with the Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, which included discussions about regional security and stability, the latest developments in the Middle East, and other topics of importance to the Arab and Islamic world, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

He also shared with ministers the contents of a letter he received from the president of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The council discussed progress in cooperative efforts involving Saudi Arabia and other countries including Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Estonia, Cuba and Kiribati, and approved a number of memorandums of understanding.

The cooperation includes projects focusing on development and education, political consultations, environmental protection, health, investment and air-transport services, the press agency said. Ministers also approved an agreement between the Saudi General Authority for Awqaf and its Omani counterpart relating to endowments.

They reviewed national initiatives, including one for the promotion of charitable work, and the enhancement of humanitarian and developmental efforts across the country.

A merger of the National Competitiveness Center with the Saudi Center for Economic Business to create a combined Saudi Competitiveness and Business Center was authorized.