PHSSR Saudi Arabia 2025

a financial component and an outcome-based focus have been introduced across multiple therapy areas, including, but not limited to, multiple sclerosis, asthma and psoriasis. A cost-effectiveness threshold (CET) initiative to estimate health opportunity costs has been established by the MoH, in collaboration with York University, SFDA and other key institutions and academics. The estimated CET will re flect the maximum ability of a health system to pay for the health bene fits offered by a new health technology, without compromising total population health. It will also inform resource allocation decisions to improve overall population health. Furthermore, a CET will be considered for rare diseases and other potential specialty areas, including oncology. A Centre for Health Technology Assessment will be formed as part of Vision 2030. This major initiative will provide evidence-based recommendations and inform policy regarding speci fic medicines and technologies. Health Technology Assessment (HTA), which mainly focuses on evidence and value- based approaches, should facilitate improved and equitable quality of care with reduced disparities across the population and ensure a sustainable health service through the rational utilisation of health system resources. Although the implementation of HTA is in its nascent stage, roadmaps and activities for its successful implementation are rapidly progressing. These value- and evidence-based initiatives rely heavily on high-quality data and information on all aspects of health, which need to be effectively collected, organised, monitored and stored. Therefore, a reliable platform, containing disease registries and national formularies, needs to be developed and improved to address challenges related to limited lack of reliable data. 4.2 Medicines and technology for health system resilience As part of the broader transformation of the health system, Saudi Arabia is currently working on a national medicines policy which aims to improve the resilience of the health system through changes in the use of medicines and technologies. The establishment of the Centre for Health Technology Assessment will allow systematic assess the effectiveness, e fficiency and safety of new medical technologies and medicines to ensure that best medical practices are adopted. This will ultimately enhance the resilience and quality of the Saudi Arabian health system. The Health Electronic Surveillance Network (HESN), operated by the Public Health Division of the MoH was one of the key digital platforms in the effective management of information during the Covid-19 pandemic. The HESN is a public health solution for disease surveillance and disease management, based on data submitted by health service providers across the country. The platform is web-based and supports both manual data entry and interoperability with digital health systems, such as EMRs and Lab Information Systems. During the height of the pandemic, the platform played a key role in enabling surveillance of Covid-19 across the nation in a timely manner, allowing public health policy and decision-makers to effectively implement actions. A study of platform satisfaction found that 71% of end-users were generally satis fied with the solution and 87% believed it to be better than the traditional paper system. (Eddine IS & Zedan HS, 2021). The Tawakkalna mobile application was another transformational digital health technology heavily employed during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic which provided several health solutions (see Case Study 1). Real-time data were used to inform and fine-tune the pandemic response using several strategies. First, real-time local and global data provided actionable information for decision- makers. This data-driven approach allowed the government to monitor the spread of the virus, identify hotspots and effectively allocate resources. Second, social and behavioural science was employed to support the pandemic response. This involved analysing data on public behaviour and attitudes towards the pandemic, helping authorities craft targeted messaging and interventions to encourage adherence to safety measures, such as social distancing and mask-wearing. The National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) of Saudi Arabia has both regulatory and operational functions. It works closely with public and private entities to improve cybersecurity and safeguard 54 Sustainability and Resilience in the Saudi Arabian Health System The Partnership for Health System Sustainability and Resilience