The Kingdom has 415 public and private hospitals, an increase of seven medical facilities compared to last year, with a total of 58,126 beds. This is according to the Annual Health Statistics Report issued recently by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeah, Minister of Health. The Ministry of Health administers 249 hospitals with a total of 34,370 beds. The country has 65,619 physicians, with Saudis accounting for 21.7 percent of this total. There are 3,073 Saudi dentists out of a total of 9,160 in the country. There are 2,583 Saudi pharmacists working for government facilities out of a total of 4,579. There are 10,349 pharmacists working at privately-owned pharmacies. Al-Rabeah said the statistics help the ministry make informed decisions on health provision for the country, in particular Haj and Umrah services. He said the Kingdom is the only country in the world that provides medical services to about six million people yearly. It takes a series of measures to protect pilgrims from epidemic diseases. The Kingdom has an obligation to provide these services for the Guests of Allah because it has been given the honor of serving the Two Holy Mosques, said the minister. He said the infection rates of epidemic and communicable diseases have dropped significantly over the past few years because of the country's advanced health system.
