In 1343H./1925, King Abdul Aziz established the Public Health Department in Makkah. In 1344H./1925, Public Health and Ambulance was established to meet the needs of the Kingdom’s health and environmental sectors. The PHA built hospitals and health centers across the Kingdom and issued and enforced regulations to guarantee adequate standards for the practice of medicine and pharmacology.
The increasing scope of healthcare services needed in the Kingdom during that period, including care for Hajj and Umrah performers, created the need for the formation of a Public Health Council. This council was the highest-level supervisory board in the Kingdom, and oversaw all aspects of healthcare, including all hospitals and healthcare centers nationwide. The council’s main goals included the development of a skilled healthcare workforce, as well as the control of the diseases and epidemics which were prevalent during that time.
Eventually, it was necessary to create a large-scale specialized organization to carry out the Kingdom’s health affairs. Hence, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has been established by virtue of a Royal Decree No. 5/11/8697 dated 26-8-1370H./1951. Thus, King Abdul Aziz’s early vision of modern national healthcare services was well on its way toward becoming a reality.