Overview of the Healthcare System in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The Ministry of Health is responsible for the supervision of healthcare and hospitals in both the public and private sectors. The system offers universal healthcare coverage.
The healthcare system has two tiers. One is a network of primary healthcare centers and clinics that provide preventive, prenatal, emergency, and basic services, as well as mobile clinics for remote rural areas. The second tier is represented by the hospitals and specialized treatment facilities located in urban areas.
In 1970, the first of the government’s five-year plans to promote development in a variety of areas, including healthcare, was instituted. In healthcare, the plan only meant establishing the necessary infrastructure of hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, laboratories, and research facilities, but hiring expatriate staff to work in the facilities and encouraging Saudis to pursue careers in the healthcare field.