Overcoming challenges in Saudi’s Health Sector Transformation ProgramOvercoming challenges in Saudi’s Health Sector Transformation Program

Saudi’s Health Sector Transformation Program (HSTP) was launched to restructure the sector into a comprehensive and effective health ecosystem to meet the requirements and achieve the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030. The programme has been designed to achieve a series of strategic objectives including improving the quality and efficiency of health services, facilitating better access to healthcare services, promoting prevention of health risks and enhancing traffic safety.  

While the programme aims to create a comprehensive and integrated, value-based healthcare ecosystem in the Kingdom, it also aims to effectively address and overcome certain core challenges faced by the system to ensure efficient healthcare delivery.  

According to the HSTP delivery plan report, approximately 90,000 cases of premature deaths are caused due to a chronic illness and the average life expectancy is 5.2 years below the global average. These statistics call for increased adoption of preventive care measures required to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases including cardiovascular diseases, respiratory and congenital diseases, diabetes, mental health, strokes and decrease incidents of traffic accidents.  

The report further states that Saudi’s present healthcare model increasingly focuses on treatment rather than prevention, making it imperative to engage and empower individuals and communities to choose healthy behaviour and make positive lifestyle changes to decrease the risk of developing life-threatening health conditions.  

Another challenge facing the system is the steady increase in population of the Kingdom expected to reach 39.4 million in 2030. As more people demand provision of quality health services, the region must invest in developing infrastructure to include electronic, digital and remote services that ensure seamless delivery of effective healthcare solutions.  

Related: How healthtech solutions are shaping primary care in Saudi Arabia

Additionally, there has been a growing need to strengthen governance systems that assist in reducing healthcare challenges and improve the quality of health services provided. To aid this, polices and legal frameworks need to be reviewed and updated to allow for further collaboration and integration between government entities and the private sector that involve discussion of opportunities and implementation of required tasks.  

Road safety policies and regulations must also be revised to align with best practices and comprehensive standards, to reduce the increasing number of deaths caused by road accidents in the Kingdom. Doing so will also help alleviate the pressure off the healthcare system that would otherwise have to reconsider the costs associated with providing healthcare rehabilitation to the affected. 

There is also a need to implement treatment protocols and mechanisms that could help monitor outcomes and provide beneficiaries access to healthcare services regardless of their place of residence or category of provider. Additionally, the industry must work towards educating and empowering its workforce by providing access to various development programmes thus paving way for their personal growth and that of the industry as a whole.  

Despite its challenges, the programme aims at providing improved healthcare outcomes and will focus on promoting public health and disease prevention, along with strengthening access to health services through optimal coverage, comprehensive and equitable geographical distribution, and expanding the provision of remote health services. 

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