The Ministry of Health held a press conference to highlight its key achievements in the first half of the year, to promote transparency and counter misinformation as part of a new series of weekly government briefings.
The Ministry showcased major healthcare projects, including the launch of the “First Responder” service with 28 field units, which has improved emergency response times, particularly in remote areas. It also opened a new MRI wing at Al-Razi Hospital and a full-service medical center at the Nuwaiseeb border crossing, reports Al-Rai daily.
Digital health services expanded through the Sahal app, now used by over 338,000 people, helping reduce pressure on clinics by eliminating more than 2.2 million paper visits. The Ministry continues to recruit about 300 nurses monthly from abroad to meet healthcare demands. International cooperation was emphasized with new agreements for medical training and services with European institutions.
Primary healthcare saw improvements, with 117 centers operating nationwide—30% of them around the clock—and hundreds of specialized clinics added. The Ministry also launched AEDs in public areas for rapid life-saving intervention and introduced traveler services, including vaccination clinics and digital maps.
Emergency medical teams responded to over 86,000 cases, including 5,000 traffic accidents and 420 airlifted patients. A new triage system based on Canadian standards was adopted, and emergency departments handled around 200,000 cases in January alone. A drop in traffic accidents followed the enforcement of new traffic laws.
The Ministry welcomed over 140 international medical experts to treat patients and train local staff. Pre-booking appointments for visiting doctors was made available online. It also issued guidelines for vaccinations ahead of Umrah or visiting the Prophet’s Mosque.
Regarding health insurance hospitals, the Ministry clarified its regulatory—not operational—role and noted that it continues providing medical services, including after the Afia insurance contract ended. Dr. Abdullah Al-Sanad concluded by urging reliance on official sources to combat health misinformation and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to high-quality care.
