Saudi development projects boost healthcare system in Yemen

Saudi Arabia, through the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen, is enhancing Yemen’s healthcare system with a series of development projects and initiatives. These efforts include building, equipping, and operating hospitals and medical centers, as well as training healthcare professionals, to improve the quality and reach of medical services for Yemenis across various provinces.

This package comprises more than 40 development projects and initiatives, alongside support for 30 medical facilities in 13 Yemeni provinces, aimed at strengthening the efficiency of the health system and its ability to meet growing needs.

Major healthcare projects highlight Saudi Arabia’s support for Yemen’s health sector, most notably the operation of Prince Mohammed bin Salman Hospital in Aden. The hospital is one of Yemen’s leading medical institutions, with a capacity of 270 beds, 14 specialized clinics, a heart center, and spans 20,000 square meters. It is equipped with over 2,000 medical devices and tools, enhancing its ability to deliver both basic and specialized healthcare services.

Since its launch by the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen in January 2023 through October 2026, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Hospital in Aden has provided nearly 5 million medical services. These include 31,000 surgeries in various specialties such as general surgery, orthopedics, ophthalmology, obstetrics and gynecology, urology, and neurosurgery, as well as over 11,000 cardiac surgeries and catheterizations, reflecting the comprehensive range of medical and specialized services and expanding access to advanced treatments in Yemen.

The King Salman Medical and Educational City project in Al-Mahra province stands out as another major development supporting Yemen’s health sector. Covering one million square meters, it features a fully equipped hospital with 110 beds, including outpatient clinics, emergency departments, laboratories, radiology, inpatient wards, surgical theaters, intensive care units for adults and children, and cardiac care and catheterization departments.

Development projects and initiatives have also supported specialized medical centers, such as the dialysis center in Al-Mahra province, which has delivered over 100,000 specialized medical services, including more than 22,000 dialysis sessions. This support helps ensure continuous care for patients requiring regular treatment and improves access to specialized services.

The program’s efforts include rehabilitating the Maternal and Child Center in Socotra, as well as the Nujed and Amden health centers, strengthening primary healthcare, reproductive health, and emergency response. In Marib province, several hospitals have received support, including Kari General Hospital, 26 September Hospital, and Marib General Authority Hospital, through the provision of medical equipment and supplies to enhance the efficiency of healthcare services at these facilities.

To ensure continuity of medical services, the program’s projects also include operating hospitals in Socotra and Shabwah, leveraging operational expertise to manage and run health facilities, thereby improving operational efficiency and service quality for beneficiaries.

On the human capital front, the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen supports medical education through the establishment and equipping of faculties of medicine, pharmacy, and nursing at Taiz University, as well as supporting health education at several Yemeni universities. These initiatives help prepare qualified medical professionals and align educational outcomes with the needs of the health sector.

The program has also implemented specialized training and qualification programs for healthcare workers, including the Arab Board programs, the Yemeni Cardiology Fellowship, and diplomas in respiratory care and intensive care. These efforts aim to develop medical and specialized skills, enhance the competence of healthcare practitioners, and improve the quality of care in Yemeni health facilities.

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen continues to advance the Yemeni health sector through a range of development projects targeting expanded healthcare services in several provinces. These include the construction of Hadramout University Hospital, Al-Ain Rural Hospital in Taiz, Al-Dhalea Rural Hospital, the establishment and equipping of Sebah Hospital in Abyan, and the Maternal and Child Center and Emergency Maternity Center in Ras Al-Arah, Lahij province.

These efforts in the health sector are part of a broader development initiative by Saudi Arabia through the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen, which has delivered 300 projects and initiatives across 16 Yemeni provinces. The program covers eight key sectors: education, health, energy, water, transport, agriculture and fisheries, development programs, and the development and support of Yemeni government capacities.