Saudi Arabia will establish five new medical cities as it significantly expands its health services, ministry officials have reportedly told Arab News.
The cities would provide a total of 6,200 beds within hospitals and medical centers, although their location has not been revealed.
The Ministry of Health also would expand existing medical cities, King Fahd Medical City in Riyadh, King Abdullah Medical City in Makkah, King Faisal Medical City, Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Medical City and King Khalid Medical City, the daily said.
Saudi Arabia is spending billions of dollars upgrading and expanding its health care system to improve facilities, which were of a low standard in recent years before improvements were implemented.
Ministry officials reportedly said 77 hospitals and medical towers, with a total capacity of 11,161 beds, had been opened in the past five years.
King Salman recently appointed the CEO of Saudi Aramco, Khalid Al Falih as the new health minister, as well as chairman of the state oil giant.
Two previous health ministers had been removed from the role within the last 12 months, believed to be over unsatisfactory handling of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome virus.
Arabian Business
4 May
