Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia reached 77.6 years compared to 74 years in 2016, the Health Sector Transformation Program (HSTP), a component of the Vision 2030 initiative, has revealed.
The program attributes the remarkable progress to a series of strategic efforts, notably the incorporation of health promotion principles into all facets of life and policy.
The annual report released by the HSTP highlights the positive impact of various policies and decisions aimed at bolstering public health. Initiatives such as promoting walking culture, reducing salt in foods, disclosing calorie information, and fortifying health services have collectively contributed to the nation’s improved health landscape.
Key milestones in 2023 include the approval by the Council of Ministers for the establishment of the National Institute for Health Research. Also, the successful launch of health clusters and the National Platform for Health and Insurance Exchange Services (Nphies) marked a crucial phase in the transformation process. The Nphies platform, aligned with the Value-Based Healthcare model, provides a centralized, secure, and comprehensive data source, benefitting individuals and society at large.
The Shifa platform saw a notable uptick in users, with over 7,233 cases benefiting from its services, representing a nearly three percent increase from the previous year. The Saudi Center for Medical Appointments and Referrals facilitated more than 300,000 successful internal and external referrals in 2023.
Emphasizing a preventative healthcare approach, over five million individuals underwent exploratory obesity screening, leading to the early detection of more than a million cases. Diabetes screening involved over one million people, identifying around 11,000 early-stage cases. Moreover, approximately 160,000 women underwent early breast cancer screening, resulting in the detection of 654 cases. Early identification significantly contributes to the success of treatment for cases diagnosed in their initial stages.
