Saudi Arabia has a well-established healthcare system, consisting of a network of primary, secondary, and tertiary facilities. Saudi Arabia’s Healthcare Sector has grown exponentially over the decades as the Saudi government has strategically invested in developing its healthcare capacity.
Private investment and public-private partnerships (PPP) are driving further growth, ensuring access to high-quality healthcare for all members of society. A focus on public health has contributed to the average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia increasing from 64 years in 1970 to 75 years in 2015, to an estimated 77.6 years in 2023.
The transformation of the Saudi Arabian healthcare system since 1970 has been astonishing. In 1970, there were 74 hospitals with 9,039 beds, By 2005, there were 350 hospitals with nearly 48,000 beds. Few, if any, other nations of a comparable geographical and population have achieved such remarkable growth in healthcare on a broad national scale in a relatively short time period.
Today, citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia have access to thousands of hospitals and clinics throughout the Kingdom, where they can obtain virtually any specialized medical treatment they might need. Saudi citizens and expatriates working in the public sector receive free comprehensive national health insurance, while those working in the private sector receive healthcare services through employer-provided private health insurance.
How Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector has developed over the decades:
Early 1900’s
Prior to the 1920’s, inhabitants of the land that would become the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after unification in 1932, mostly relied on local, traditional medicine. The first hospital, the Ottoman Hospital in Mecca, was built in the early 1900’s to provide healthcare services for Hajj pilgrims.
1920’s to 1940’s
In 1925, King Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman, the first king of Saudi Arabia, established the country’s first Public Health Department to provide free healthcare for citizens and pilgrims visiting Islamic holy sites. This newly founded department included doctors, a general inspector, a chief pharmacist as well as administrative employees. With a focus on public health and prevention, it was tasked with promoting medical standards and establishing new hospitals and healthcare centres. Between 1926 and 1949, 25 clinics, 35 health centres and 11 hospitals were established throughout Saudi Arabia.
1950’s and 1960’s
As the scope of healthcare increased in Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Health was established in 1950 to oversee and regulate health affairs throughout the Kingdom.
Large, multispecialty hospitals were built including Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz Hospital, now King Abdulaziz University Hospital, in 1955 and Al Shumaisi Hospital, now expanded to become King Saud Medical City, in 1956.
During this period, medical education flourished and in 1967, Saudi Arabia’s first medical school, King Saud University College of Medicine, was established.
1970’s
Starting in the 1970’s, the Kingdom’s healthcare system benefited tremendously from the strategic healthcare focus included in the government’s five-year development plans.
King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre was inaugurated by King Khalid in 1975. This centre includes state-of-the-art departments of oncology, cardiac surgery, organ transplantation, genetic diseases and other specialties, and is ranked 20th globally and 1st in the region among academic medical centres. The hospital now comprises more than 1,800 hospital beds, 16,000 staff and 28 health outreach centres.
1980’s
Throughout the 1980s, the Ministry of Health led various programmes and awareness campaigns to improve public health and prevent communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Between 1985-1987, under the Kingdom’s third development plan, 377 healthcare facilities were built, including 65 hospitals and 312 primary healthcare centres.
1990’s
In 1992, The Saudi Commission for Health Specialties was established to supervise and regulate medical licensing and health-related training programs in Saudi Arabia.
2000’s
In 2005, health insurance was made compulsory for all non-Saudi nationals working in the country under the Cooperative Health Insurance Act. In 2008, this act was extended to include Saudi nationals working for the private sector.
Near 2009, The Ministry of Health set a 20-year national strategy for healthcare services. This transformation program, in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030, is enhancing and integrating Saudi’s healthcare system through partnerships and investments in AI and remote technologies.
2010’s
The Saudi Arabia National Cancer Institute was established by royal decree in 2016 under the authority of the Saudi Health Council, with the aim of becoming the leading national reference for cancer care.
2020’s
SEHA Virtual Hospital, the world’s largest virtual hospital, was established in 2022. The Virtual Hospital serves over 500,000 beneficiaries annually across 12 specialties and 35 subspecialties by connecting health facilities through telemedicine. The hospital leverages artificial intelligence, augmented reality and the internet of things to expand and enhance healthcare throughout Saudi Arabia, in line with Vision 2030.
The MIT Abdul Latif Jameel Clinic, a partnership with King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Saudi Arabia, is conducting clinical trials for the early detection of breast cancer, deploying Mirai, a non-invasive Machine Learning tool. The first of its kind in Saudi Arabia, the programme promises to revolutionise the landscape of cancer prediction in the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia’s Health Sector Transformation Program is guiding continued development and restructuring of healthcare services, to ensure comprehensive, effective and integrated care for all.
Career opportunities for doctors in Saudi Arabia
As the population of Saudi Arabia continues to grow and the healthcare sector continues to expand, highly qualified and experienced healthcare professionals are sought after to address workforce gaps. Western-trained doctors, especially those with advanced fellowships post-specialization, are sought after to bring new skills and techniques to Saudi Arabia’s healthcare system.
Saudi Arabia offers promising career paths for Western-trained doctors with competitive tax-free salaries, opportunities for professional development, a family-friendly lifestyle and rich cultural experiences.
If you are ready to pursue new opportunities, consider moving to Saudi Arabia with the assistance of Allocation Assist Middle East.
Contact us today https://www.allocationassist.com/
References:
A brief history of healthcare in Saudi Arabia
https://www.communityjameel.org/stories/ksa-healthcare-timeline
Health care system in Saudi Arabia: an overview
https://applications.emro.who.int/emhj/V17/10/17_10_2011_0784_0793.pdf?ua=1
Health Sector Transformation Program
https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/en/explore/programs/health-sector-transformation-program
