The Kingdom wins the Arab Health Awards 2025 in medicine and nursing
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continued to reaffirm its leadership in the health sector at the regional level, with its national professionals winning several prestigious awards during the 63rd regular session of the Council of Arab Health Ministers at the League of Arab States. This session, held in Tripoli, Libya, last December, witnessed a well-deserved recognition of Saudi Arabia's efforts in the fields of medicine and nursing for the year 2025.
Context of excellence and the objectives of Vision 2030
This achievement is not a coincidence, but rather the fruit of ambitious strategic plans adopted by the Kingdom within the "Health Sector Transformation Program," one of the pillars of Vision 2030. These programs have focused on investing in human capital, strengthening the scientific research and innovation system, and enhancing the preparedness of healthcare facilities to face crises. This Arab recognition reflects the rapid development witnessed by the Saudi healthcare system and its ability to export successful models and medical expertise to the Arab world, thus reinforcing the Kingdom's position as a regional medical authority.
Arab Physician Awards: Leadership in Research and Surgery
In the category of "Arab Physician of the Year 2025", awarded by the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, two prominent Saudi names emerged:
- Research Excellence: Dr. Ahmed bin Salem Bahammam, Director of the Prince Naif Center for Health Research, received the Scientific Research and Innovation Excellence Award. This recognition acknowledges the importance of the Kingdom's leading medical research in developing treatment protocols and understanding intractable diseases.
- Professional Leadership: Dr. Zuhair bin Yousef Al-Halees, Senior Consultant Cardiac Surgeon at King Faisal Specialist Hospital, received the Excellence, Leadership and Medical Professional Impact Award, in recognition of his distinguished career in performing delicate operations and his contributions to cardiology and cardiac surgery.
Nursing Innovations: Lessons from the Pandemic
In the field of nursing and midwifery, Saudi professionals demonstrated their high level of competence in crisis management, with the Saudi team winning first prize in clinical practice for their "INS Model" project. The team included a select group of highly qualified individuals: Dr. Manal Saeed Banaser, Iman Mohammed Al-Shammari, Abdulrahman Abdullah Abu Khadha'a, Jawhara Fahd Al-Harbi, and Reem Mohammed Al-Humaidan.
The winning project, titled "A Model for Building Capacity in Critical Care Units During Disasters," focuses on innovative solutions developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The model aims to enhance the efficiency of nursing staff and increase intensive care unit capacity in a flexible and effective manner, making it a model to be emulated in the Arab world for managing health emergencies.
Developing nursing education
Continuing her journey of excellence, Dr. Badriya Awad Al-Shehri, Chief Nursing Officer at King Saud Medical City, received the "Outstanding Work in Nursing and Midwifery" award (shared with the Arab Republic of Egypt) for the "Natathon" project. This project focuses on developing nursing education and training, and directly contributes to raising the quality of healthcare education outcomes, thus ensuring that hospitals are supplied with qualified personnel according to the highest international standards.
Regional and international impact
The Kingdom's receipt of these awards strengthens the international community's confidence in the Saudi healthcare system and opens broader horizons for joint medical cooperation among Arab countries. This achievement also confirms that Saudi expertise is no longer limited to traditional practices but has moved to the stage of innovation and creating solutions that serve humanity, thus solidifying the concept of "sustainable health" for a vibrant society.
