The national day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an important event in the history of our nation. It represents a symbol of loyalty, a live example of dedication to our Kingdom, and a vital memory of celebrating the developments witnessed in all parts of our country. Our glorious history is the creation of our great leader and founder of our nation King Abdul Aziz and his faithful predecessors till the present period of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and the Heir to the Throne Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, who have adopted Islamic Sharia as a clear road for our people and worked for realizing security and stabilization. The memory of our national day further strengthens the loyalty of our people to their leadership and their devotion to our beloved nation.
As we welcome the unification of our country we feel proud of this unique achievement which has come into reality in an episode which is rarely comparable in modern history.
The sons of King Abdul Aziz, may Allah forgive him, followed his path and were successful in transforming our peninsula into a civilized and secure state. They directed their efforts towards serving the cause of our religion and helping Muslims in the different parts of the world. They were successful in confirming that this sincere relationship between the nation and its leaders will add to the strength and solidarity of our people, thus enabling them to protect their faith and unity.
The progress witnessed in the Kingdom is a reflection of the great achievements realized during this unique period of our history. The developmental plans are based on careful studies aiming at establishing a secure and stable entity in which the individuals find the care that enables them to play the roles assigned to them.
The achievements reached covered all economic, educational, and social aspects, with special emphasis on security and health, since both constitute the foundations for construction and development.
The progresses made in the field of health services, at all preventive, therapeutic, diagnostic, and rehabilitation levels, were verified by the reports issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). Figures also confirm the advancements reached in medical care systems and the techniques followed in providing health services. For example, the number of general and specialized hospitals directed by the Ministry of Health has risen to 218 hospitals, with a total capacity of 30489 beds, whereas the number of primary health care centers has reached 1905 centers with a medical capacity of 20219 physicians and 42628 nurses.
The developments seen in this vital sector have not been confined to quantitative aspects. They included also application of high quality concepts and recruiting specialized medical qualifications, especially the sons of our beloved country who contributed greatly to the developments witnessed in this sector. Their efforts have lead to elevation of health awareness among all segments of the society, which in its turn resulted in high life expectancy, minimum mortality rates, and low levels of epidemic and contagious diseases.
Our medical practice has also benefited from the latest findings of modern science and technology, whether in the field of medical equipment or the techniques followed in providing health services. This has lead to the establishment of highly developed medical centers as well as specialized hospitals which are rarely paralleled in the Middle East.
The cooperative health insurance system has been applied for the purpose of consolidating and improving health services. The system covers all residents in its first stage and will be applied later on Saudis in accordance with the successes attained in its first stage. The application of this system is expected to reduce the burden carried by government establishments, in addition to providing the private sector the opportunity of participating in health care provision.
Finally, I would like to extend my congratulations to all on the national day. I would like also to confirm my support to efforts of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his respectable brothers in this national day.