The development of primary care in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is a rapidly developing, oil-rich country. In less than a century it has been transformed from a desolate desert landscape into an affluent kingdom of modern cities, skyscrapers and international airports. Originally inhabited by nomadic Bedu, King Abdul-Aziz Al Saud led a movement in 1932 to unite this vast area of distinct tribal regions into one nation. It is now the largest country in the Middle East with a population of 28 000 000 people (Ministry of Health (MoH), 2012). The development of the Saudi Arabian healthcare system and the challenges it faces are considered within this article.