PHSSR Saudi Arabia 2025

Under Vision 2030 , the HSTP strategy, which aims to mitigate key threats to the Saudi population, promote healthy lifestyles, reduce the incidence of NCDs, improve injury prevention and ensure the long-term sustainability of universal health coverage, demonstrates the intention to create a resilient health system, which in turn promotes population health. The number of public health undergraduate and postgraduate programmes has increased, training individuals to implement the HSTP strategy, and their high enrolment rates highlights the population’s response to health service goals. Public health emergencies such as Covid-19 have highlighted the need to reduce the vulnerability of health systems around the world, and the need for resilient approaches that respond to dynamic situations, combining health security with disease-speci fic and life course programmes to achieve desired outcomes. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the government established a High Committee, followed by a Concerned Committee, chaired by the Minister of Health, which was responsible for taking the necessary precautionary measures to contain the spread of the virus. To implement these decisions, the MoH created a hierarchical organisation for pandemic response. Decisions were based on risk assessment and reliable global and national statistics. Some important decisions were taken, ranging from the suspension of schools, social events and five times daily prayers in mosques; the closure of all points of entry to the country, suspension of international and domestic air travel and of public transportation; and the imposition of a partial, and then a full, curfew in several cities. In addition, nationwide hotel-based, government funded and monitored quarantine was implemented for travellers returning to the country. The goal was to flatten the epidemic curve and equip the health system with su fficient capacity to treat infected cases. As the pandemic progressed, the MoH operated with a clear plan shared with nineteen key entities, including clearly de fined tasks for integrated decision-making and implementation, assignation of tasks to each entity and performance monitoring through daily indicators. In addition, it issued regular alerts and reports, monitored hospital performance and recommended and enforced public health measures to control the pandemic. A multi-phase national mass screening campaign was launched to assess the spread of the disease and make appropriate decisions (Khan AA, 2020). In the first phase, active screening, both symptomatic and asymptomatic suspected cases and their contacts were screened. Participating MoH teams targeted neighbourhoods and workers’ residences in several cities to locate and contain local outbreaks. The second phase, community screening, targeted low to moderate risk groups, identi fied using the Mawid (meaning appointment) electronic application and samples were collected at scheduled appointments in primary care centres. In the third phase, asymptomatic individuals were screened upon registration in the electronic appointment system. Effective public communication was initiated to increase compliance and close the knowledge gap. Daily reports on the progress of the pandemic were delivered by high ranking MoH o fficials on traditional media, such as television, and on social media. This o fficial source of information helped to prevent the spread of misinformation. Guidelines for different social groups were posted in public places, such as schools, mosques, workplaces, markets and public transportation to prevent the spread of the virus. Field education in rural and underserved areas was conducted by MoE-trained employees to educate individuals on the disease, methods of transmission and basic precautionary measures. All citizens, residents, refugees and undocumented migrants were encouraged to seek medical care for free when they suspected infection, without any penalty or blame. An educational guide on the prevention of Covid-19, in collaboration with the Health Awareness Team, was published in multiple languages. The country proactively prepared for the availability of a Covid-19 vaccine. When vaccines emerged, larger quantities were made available to ensure herd immunity, limit the spread of the virus and protect the population. More than 68.5 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine had been administered as of 20 September 2023. (World Health Organization, website). Assuming that each individual received two doses, approximately 97% of the population has now been vaccinated. Many aspects related to the delivery of the vaccine were carefully planned, including governance, supply chain, 71 Sustainability and Resilience in the Saudi Arabian Health System The Partnership for Health System Sustainability and Resilience