Saudi Healthcare Coverage Hits 97.5%, Bed Capacity Up 18%

Saudi Arabia's healthcare coverage rate reached 97.5% in 2025, up from 94% in 2020, according to the Ministry of Health's annual report. The figure reflects a push to expand access under the Health Sector Transformation Program, part of the Vision 2030 plan.

Bed capacity rose 18% over the same period, with 78,000 hospital beds now available across the kingdom. The ministry added 12,000 beds since 2020, concentrated in the five largest cities. Workforce numbers also climbed. The physician-to-population ratio improved to 2.8 per 1,000 residents, up from 2.4 in 2020. Nursing staff grew 22%, to 210,000.

The coverage metric includes primary care centers, specialist hospitals, and emergency services. The ministry said 1,200 new primary care facilities opened since 2020, many in rural areas where access was previously limited. Telehealth consultations accounted for 14% of all outpatient visits in 2025, up from 3% in 2020.

Private-sector participation expanded as well. The ministry licensed 45 new private hospitals in 2024 and 2025 combined, adding 6,500 beds. The government's goal is to increase private-sector share of healthcare spending to 35% by 2030, from roughly 25% now.

Spending on healthcare reached 8.2% of GDP in 2025, compared with 7.1% in 2020. The ministry attributed the increase to capital projects and technology upgrades, including a unified electronic health record system that now covers 92% of hospitals.

The report did not break out mortality or disease-specific outcomes. The ministry said those metrics will be published in a separate clinical outcomes report later this year.