King Salman addresses Saudi Arabia to mark the start of Ramadan

King Salman gave his address to mark the start of Ramadan. (SPA)
Updated 06 May 2019
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King Salman addresses Saudi Arabia to mark the start of Ramadan

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman delivered a speech Sunday to mark the start of the holy month of Ramadan to Saudi citizens and Muslims all over the world.

“The Kingdom, since its establishment at the hands of King Abdul Aziz, has taken upon itself the service of Islam and Islamic issues, and all that contributes to spreading the Islamic religion away from everything that distorts its true image,” the king said

King Salman added that Saudi Arabia has been and continues to call for preserving the image of Islam as the religion of tolerance, moderation and compromise.

“After the world was afflicted by the ravages of extremism and terrorism, the Kingdom turned to them with all its might and determination, calling for dialogue and a move away from violence and the uprooting of terrorism,” he said.

Also on Sunday, King Salman received best wishes for Ramadan from Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, president of the UAE, and the leaders of other countries in the Muslim world.

Worldwide, more than a billion Muslims will spend the month in reflection and celebration of their faith as they fast from sunrise to sunset.

In Indonesia, hundreds of schoolchildren wearing traditional dress chanted prayers as they held a torchlit procession to mark the start of the holy month.


Saudi minister launches nationwide preventive health screening campaign 

Updated 5 sec ago
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Saudi minister launches nationwide preventive health screening campaign 

  • Fahad AlJalajel announces 10 vital services
  • Tests for blood pressure and many cancers

RIYADH: Minister of Health Fahad AlJalajel recently launched the government’s Taakkad campaign across the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The initiative, led by the Health Holding Co. and its affiliated clusters, provides 10 essential preventive tests to help diagnose and treat diseases proactively. 

The launch coincided with AlJalajel’s inspection of the Taakkad Center in Riyadh, which offers periodic health screenings through an innovative drive-through model. 

AlJalajel reviewed the preventive screening pathways and delivery mechanisms, designed to ensure speed, accuracy and high quality, reinforcing prevention before treatment and facilitating access to healthcare.

Taakkad services include checks and screening for blood pressure, obesity, colorectal cancer and breast cancer, the SPA reported. 

The center highlights the Kingdom’s advanced and integrated preventive care, in line with the Health Sector Transformation Program to enhance service efficiency and accessibility, the SPA reported. 

In a post on his X account, the minister wrote: “Today I had the pleasure of launching the Taakkad campaign at the Taakkad Center in Riyadh — the first step in a nationwide rollout. 

“The program offers 10 essential preventive screenings through primary healthcare centers, bringing services closer to people and placing prevention at the heart of our health system, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.” 

“I also met with a group of journalists and writers at the Riyadh center,” he added.  

“We had a rich conversation about the value of preventive screenings, health awareness, the state of the sector, and how the media can help embed a prevention-first culture across society.”