Since the modern state of Saudi Arabia was first founded by King Abdul Aziz Bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud, May Allah rests his soul in peace, the public health and disease control were among the government’s top priorities. The creation of the Kingdom’s Healthcare System coincided with King Abdul Aziz’s takeover of Al Hijaz and his designation of Makkah as the first Saudi capital.
The guidance of the founding King of Saudi Arabia allowed the new government to overcome the many obstacles and challenges in the early days of the nation, despite a lack of native resources and expertise. HRH’s strategy was to strengthen the Kingdom’s cooperation with international organizations and to collaborate with highly-qualified foreign experts. In addition to keeping pace with the latest international healthcare developments, the King also focused on building a solid infrastructure for a comprehensive health sector that would serve all regions of the Kingdom.
In 1343H./1925, King Abdul Aziz established the Public Health Department in Makkah. In 1344H./1925, Public Health and Ambulance was established to meet the needs of the Kingdom’s health and environmental sectors. The PHA built hospitals and health centers across the Kingdom and issued and enforced regulations to guarantee adequate standards for the practice of medicine and pharmacology.
The increasing scope of healthcare services needed in the Kingdom during that period, including care for Hajj and Umrah performers, created the need for the formation of a Public Health Council. This council was the highest-level supervisory board in the Kingdom, and oversaw all aspects of healthcare, including all hospitals and healthcare centers nationwide. The council’s main goals included the development of a skilled healthcare workforce, as well as the control of the diseases and epidemics which were prevalent during that time.
Eventually, it was necessary to create a large-scale specialized organization to carry out the Kingdom’s health affairs. Hence, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has been established by virtue of a Royal Decree No. 5/11/8697 dated 26-8-1370H./1951. Thus, King Abdul Aziz’s early vision of modern national healthcare services was well on its way toward becoming a reality.
Vision:
Carrying health conditions or health status of Saudi inhabitants to the best and highest possible level, in terms of justice and equality in providing healthcare, and in terms of effectiveness and the possibility of incurring the financial burden of the treatment and healthcare. In doing so, MOH takes as its target meeting citizens’ aspirations in this regard, by providing them with high-quality general and specialized health services, and covering all the population with these services.
Mission:
MOH is committed to the mission assigned to it since its establishment; i.e. the provision of healthcare at all levels, promotion of general health and prevention of diseases, in addition to developing the laws and legislations regulating both the governmental and private health sectors. Aside from that, MOH is accountable for performance monitoring in health institutions, along with the research activity and academic training in the field of health investment.