RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s health ministry will give the green light to 100 projects in cooperation with the private sector in the next five years, as the Kingdom continues pursuing its goals outlined in Vision 2030. 

The deals will be worth around SR48 billion ($12.7 billion), according to Saudi Arabia Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel.

Speaking at the World Health Forum and Exhibition in Riyadh on Oct. 9, Al-Jalajel said that this initiative will cover several public-private partnerships — including the establishment of two medical cities, along with providing 900 beds for medical rehabilitation and long-term services, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The initiative also includes renovating, improving, and restructuring primary health services in the Kingdom, which begins with 200 centers in the initial phase. 

Al-Jalajel further noted that the Kingdom also aims to ensure the availability of air travel services across the country. 

The report added that the health ministry of Saudi Arabia has formulated a comprehensive licensing procedure and regulatory norms to enhance commercial activities and attract investors to the sector. 

The Saudi ministry aims to raise the private sector’s contribution to the healthcare system from 25 percent to 35 percent by 2030, Argaam reported. 

To facilitate this journey, the ministry has also opened a call center to provide services to the business sector. 

Meanwhile, while interacting with El Ekhbariya TV on the sidelines of the Forum, Al-Jalajel said that the ministry, to date, has offered up to 10 percent of projects for privatization. 

The minister further noted that the remaining projects will be offered to investors within the next few years, and that several local and international alliances have already entered the Kingdom’s healthcare sector. 

The Global Health Forum and Exhibition is being held at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center from Oct. 9 to 11 and is set to host 26,000 people from 30 countries. 

The forum provides opportunities for visitors to meet industry experts, clinicians and policymakers to access the latest discoveries and trends in the sector. 

The event also includes the leaders’ forum, which aims to enable dialogue between thought leaders and government officials on achieving the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, along with advancing digital transformation in the healthcare sector and promoting access to medicines and technologies, leadership and governance.