The Ministry of Health has announced an increase in the number of nurses registered in the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, celebrating this growth on International Nurses Day. According to a ministry report, the number of nurses in 2023 had grown by over 235,461 nurses working in the public and private sector. This growth is one of the initiatives of the Health Sector Transformation Program, one of Saudi Vision 2030 Programs, that contributed to supporting and empowering this profession and ensuring adequate staffing and high-quality care.
The total number of male and female nurses recorded an increase of more than 23 percent during the period between 2016 and 2023.There are more than 106,000 nurses working under the Ministry of Health while their number in other government agencies reached approximately 15,000. There has been an increase of 67,000 male and female nurses in the private sector, bringing the total number in the health sector to 235,461.
Saudi Arabia now boasts 14 universities offering nursing programs, whose graduates, qualified Saudi specialists in various fields, are a valuable resource to the country.
It is noteworthy that the increase in the number of male and female nurses in the health sector in the Kingdom comes as a reflection of the government’s utmost keenness on the human and professional aspect of the nursing career with attaching sublime values of passion, empathy and proficiency. The government also makes relentless efforts to improve healthcare services and competence of the health staff, as well as to enhance the vital role of nursing in providing high-quality humane care to patients in various hospitals and medical centers.