The Privatization of Health Care System in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 highlights the development of the health care sector through privatization. This study examines the factors that prompted the privatization of the health care sector in Saudi Arabia. This is a scoping review based on an extensive review of both published and unpublished documents. We have accessed different search engines and databases to collect various research publications, journal articles, government reports, policy and planning documents, and relevant press reports/articles. While privatization of the health care sector in Saudi Arabia has experienced an upward trend, the public health care sector remains vital to bring in overall improvements in the health of all sections of Saudi Arabia’s population. Keeping this in view, the government must strengthen its public health care sector to ensure affordable, accessible, and high-quality health care for all. This manuscript focuses on the policy aspect of the privatization of health care and is based on secondary research material. Increased privatization leads to rising expenses in health care, while adversely affecting equity and accountability in the provision of its services. Although this study is an independent analysis of Saudi Arabia’s health care system, lessons learned from this context could be used widely for policy-making in other countries with similar socioeconomic settings.

Autonomy, accountability, and competition: The privatisation of the Saudi health care system

“… 19 , 28 , 29 , 30 These studies found that, at the macro-level, the Saudi government chose privatisation as a solution to address the fragmented, financially dependent, unsatisfactory and low-quality health care system. 29 , 30 The overwhelming dependence of the health care system on governmental funding is threatened by an unstable, oil-dependent national economy; thus, the government realised the need to privatise the health care system to reduce government expenditure and provide better health care services, especially with the emergence of new diseases, the growth of the Saudi population and the increase in the population's life expectancy. 21 , 30 , 31 By 2030, the population of KSA will reach 39.3 million, and life expectancy is projected to reach 76.6 years.…”

Vision 2030 and Sustainable Development: State Capacity to Revitalize the Healthcare System in Saudi Arabia

“…However, only 3 regions will come under the implementation phase, including the East, Makkah and Riyadh regions, due to higher consumer presence and demand for healthcare in these regions. 37 …”

“…The privatization move was aimed at increasing private sector participation in the healthcare sector from 25% to 35% in line with the requirements of Vision 2030, which seeks to provide free and quality healthcare to 20 million Saudi citizens. 37 , 38 The government is undertaking different reform initiatives to boost the healthcare sector. The privatization of the health sector is one of the focal points of government economic diversification activities to minimize public sector expenditures and reduce dependence on it.…”

“…In July 2018, the government signed an agreement with the private sector for SAR407 million loans to establish hospitals and medical facilities in Abha, Abu Arish, Buraydah, Dammam, Jeddah, and Riyadh. 37 …”

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Prevention Services by Pharmacists in Saudi Arabia: What Do Policymakers and Opinion Leaders Think?

“…Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) now contribute signi cantly to national disease burdens globally [5], and in Saudi Arabia, these account for approximately 73% of total mortality [6,7]. Saudi Arabia has a nationalised healthcare system with government supported care provided through many public health channels with increasing participation of the private sector in recent years [8]. Recently in Saudi Arabia, healthcare reforms within the national transformation program 2020 (part of Vision 2030, 2016) were proposed by the Ministry of Health (MoH) [9].…”