RIYADH -- Saudi Arabia will appoint 100 Saudi females as the first batch of paramedics by the end of this year, according to Al Riyadh newspaper. The new paramedics who are receiving training will be assigned to locations in the capital city Riyadh restricted on men. This move comes with several deaths that occurred because male paramedics were banned from entering the accident scenes such as schools for girls. In Riyadh, a university student died recently because the guards delayed the entry of male paramedics to the campus. The batch comprises of female nurses and other specialists will get emergency medicine diploma before starting their work, General Director of Women Section and the Red Crescent, Dr Muneera Al Mazro, told the newspaper. We have 3,000 volunteers who will join the program in the future, she said. The conservative nature of Saudi society promote gender segregation in all walks of life and many restrictions on females who are banned from driving. Xinhua
