Saudi Arabia faces significant health challenges due to a rapidly growing population, with over half under age 25. While life expectancy has doubled since 1960, health infrastructure and resources are inadequate, particularly in rural areas. The government aims to expand health services through building new hospitals and clinics, increasing beds and staff, and developing medical cities and preventative health programs. Private sector expansion in health insurance and facilities will also help meet growing demand. Opportunities exist for companies in hospital construction, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, and training as Saudi Arabia works to overcome its health challenges.

1. Health: Problems and Challenges
Opportunity Arabia
October 1st 2012

2. Saudi Arabia
•Largest health care market in the GCC
•Population 28 Million
•Current health care services inadequate –
supply only 60% of requirements

3. Government Aims
World class health care facilities for citizens and expatriates
Massive expansion of health care sector
Centre for Medical Tourism

4. Achievements – Health Services 1
408 Hospitals in total (50- 1000+ beds)
244 Public Hospitals
34,370 beds

5. Achievements – Health Services 2
• Tertiary Care – Organ transplants, 30 operations
for conjoined twins
• 21 Medical Colleges –
18 Government, 3 Private

6. Achievements - Population
1960 population 3 million, 90% nomadic
2012 population 28 Million, mostly urbanised
Doubling of life Expectancy since 1960s
Huge reductions in mortality and morbidity rates

7. Health Care Sector
• Government dominated – MOH provides 60% of
expenditure
• Free of charge to all Saudis
• Limited care for expatriates fuels demand for private
medicine

8. Structure of Services
•Tier 1 : Primary Care Centres and Clinics
throughout the Kingdom
•Tier 2: Secondary Care Hospitals and Specialised
Treatment Hospitals largely in the urban areas

9. Ministry of Health (MOH)
Ministry of 20 MOH
Health (MOH) Regions
Planning and
Role Development
of Services
Curative Preventative

10. Health Services
MOH
60% MOH 40% Others
Private
KFSHRC NGHA MOD Education
30%

11. Other Providers
40% of
Other 40% Services
Military &
30% Private Education Private 30%
10%
Quasi Government KFSHRC NGHA MODA Universities
10%

12. Private Sector
• Small hospitals 50-200 beds
• Out patient services and minor surgery
• Variable standards

13. Budgetary Allocations
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
KSA USA Japan China Germany

14. Resources
• Compared to other developed countries there is a shortage
of beds, nurses and doctors.
• Saudi Arabia has greater shortages than other GCC
countries with lowest number of beds, nurses and doctors.

15. Rural/ Urban Divide
• Medical services concentrated in cities
of Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar and
Dammam
• Delivery of quality services in other
cities and rural areas is weak.

16. Challenges: Demographics
• 50% of population under age 25
• Population over 60 set to double
• Lifestyle diseases – obesity, diabetes, cardiac diseases
, renal diseases

17. Challenges: Resources
• Inadequate infrastructure
• Staff shortages
• Rural / Urban Disparity
• Quality of Services

18. Solutions: MOH Medical Cities
6 New Medical Cities
• Additional 6200 beds
• Highly specialised centres for cancer, organ transplant
surgery, eye surgery and cardiac diseases.

19. Solutions: MOH Hospital Expansion
• New hospital construction – major bed expansion in all
regions of the country

20. Solutions: New Clinics
• Primary Care - SAR 7 Billion for establishing and
funding 2000 Primary Care Services
• Rehabilitation Services
• Polyclinics

21. Solutions: MOH Initiatives
• Preventative Health Programmes
• E Health: Electronic Records and telemedicine
• Home Medicine Programme for ambulatory care

22. Solutions: Private Sector Expansion 2012 -2015
• Mandatory health insurance for expats creates increased
demand for private medical care.
• Health insurance may be extended to Saudi citizens
• Health insurance predicted to grow by 19% by end of 2015

23. Solutions: Training
• Ministry of Education will establish Medical
training schools in all 24 Government
Universities.

24. Solutions: Quality Control
• Quality Control of Clinical Services
• Hospital Accreditation System
• Standardisation of Medical Education

25. Opportunities
• Hospital design and construction
• Private medical insurance
• Training and Recruitment
• Pharmaceuticals and medical equipment