THE PRIMARY HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN SAUDI ARABIA: A NARRATIVE REVIEW OF THE CHALLENGES
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Keywords
Challenges; primary healthcare; Saudi Arabia.
Abstract
Saudi Arabia is committed to enhancing its healthcare system by significant investments and the establishment of supplementary healthcare infrastructure. Primary healthcare is the backbone of healthcare coverage for all. It is necessary to recognise the issues with primary healthcare before attempting to improve its quality. With the hope of enhancing Saudi Arabia's healthcare system, this narrative review aimed to shed light on the challenges faced by primary healthcare providers. Methods: A literature review was conducted to derive findings regarding the present status of primary healthcare in KSA. Research shows that in Saudi Arabia, the final steps of the administrative process and the distribution of resources are the biggest roadblocks to basic healthcare. Poor resource allocation leads to an uneven distribution of resources among the kingdom's regions, a shortage of medical experts, and an inadequate database. Administrative procedure concerns included communication issues and cultural barriers. Also, there weren't enough specialised medical centres. Because of these issues, people are dissatisfied with the care they receive. As a whole, the present primary healthcare crisis threatens the quality of healthcare in the kingdom. The integration of primary healthcare with other sectors of healthcare requires ancillary infrastructure, such as electronic referral systems. In addition to assisting healthcare workers through patient-centered care continuing education programmes, this will contribute to the Kingdom's healthcare system's target for 2030..
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References
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