The Ministry of Health (MOH) has revealed that there have been no cases of diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) and polio in the Kingdom in 2010. MOH stated that all regions and governorates of the Kingdom have witnessed a significant reduction in the rates of EPI-target diseases due to the increase of primary vaccines coverage in the Kingdom, reaching more than 98%. The Ministry clarified that the rates of diphtheria and pertussis infection have decreased to 0.000 per 100.000 people, tetanus neonatorum to 0.01, meningitis to 0.01, measles to 1.29, rubella to 0.13, and hepatitis (B) to 18.72 per 100,000 people compared to 20.43 per 100,000 people in 2008.
The Statistical Yearbook for 1431H, issued by the MOH's Assistant Agency for Planning and Research, indicated that health auditors made 66.400.000 visits to the health centers and outpatient clinics in the hospitals of the Ministry of Health during 2010. Furthermore, the number of surgical operations reached 450.183 surgeries, whereas the number of birth deliveries amounted to 265.626 births.
The overall number of inpatients is 1.700.820 persons, and the number of laboratory tests is 142.500.000 tests, whereas the number of radiological tests is 5.600.000 tests. The number of emergency cases is 19.181.054 cases.
Furthermore, the Statistical Book underscores the increase of the MOH's hospitals to 249 hospitals. The total number of beds has reached 34.370 beds, whereas the number of health centers has amounted to 2.094 centers. Besides, the book shows that the number of the employees working for the health sector (doctors, pharmacists, nurses and medical assistant technicians) is 149.395 persons, distributed as follows: 31.517 doctors, 1.790 pharmacists, 75.978 nurses of both genders, and 40.110 technicians. The number of Saudi health employees (doctors, pharmacists, nurses and technicians) is 80.256 persons.
Moreover, the Statistical Yearbook includes the health services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and their development in various health sectors. It is divided into four sections; the first section is about the current health situation, the most important demographic and health resources indicators, and the most important infectious and non-communicable diseases, with the emphasis on endemic diseases such as malaria, leishmaniasis and schistosomiasis. The second section is about health resources, highlighting the most important health and human resources in the Ministry of Health and other different health sectors in the Kingdom, namely the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Interior, the Armed Forces Medical Services, university hospitals, as well as the private sector. While the third section tackles health activities and services, depicting a clear picture of health services in the health sectors. It also mentions the numbers of patients visiting outpatient clinics, inpatients, surgeries, births, as well as the tests performed in radiology departments and laboratories. Furthermore, the fourth section is about the health services provided to pilgrims, giving a full picture of the health situation, services and resources provided to the pilgrims during the Hajj season.