The Red Crescent establishes an emergency fund to ensure the sustainability of emergency services

In a strategic move aimed at transforming the emergency medical services system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Red Crescent Authority a joint cooperation agreement with the Health Endowment Fund . This agreement aims to establish the “Emergency Fund,” which will serve as a sustainable funding arm to support ambulance services and enhance the efficiency of emergency response across the Kingdom.

Details of the Emergency Fund Agreement

The signed agreement stipulates the establishment of a specialized fund dedicated to financing vital ambulance activities and services. The fund's primary mechanism involves facilitating the collection of endowment and non-endowment donations from individuals and institutions, in accordance with the legal and Sharia frameworks adopted in the Kingdom. The proceeds from this fund will be directly allocated to supporting critical response programs and providing necessary equipment, thus ensuring the long-term continuity of high-quality ambulance services.

The context of health transformation and Vision 2030

The establishment of the Emergency Fund aligns with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and the Health Sector Transformation Program, which places significant emphasis on strengthening the role of the non-profit sector and endowments in healthcare development. The Health Endowment Fund is a strategic partner in this endeavor, contributing to directing community contributions towards addressing priority healthcare needs. This partnership serves as a model of institutional integration between operational entities (the Saudi Red Crescent Authority) and endowment-based funding bodies, ensuring a robust healthcare infrastructure.

The importance of sustainability in ambulance services

This step is of paramount importance given the nature of emergency medical work, which requires constant, round-the-clock readiness. The financial sustainability that the fund will provide will contribute to:

• Updating the ambulance fleet: Supporting the purchase and maintenance of ambulances equipped with the latest intensive care technologies.
• Enhancing rapid response: Providing the necessary resources to reduce response time to reports, which is the crucial factor in saving lives and reducing medical complications.
• Geographical expansion: Supporting the Authority's ability to cover remote areas and highways more efficiently.

Promoting community engagement and saving lives

The Saudi Red Crescent Authority affirmed that the Emergency Medical Fund represents a reliable channel enabling the community to participate in the reward of saving human lives. By transforming donations into tangible assets and services, the endowment becomes direct support for field teams responding to accidents and crises. Through this initiative, the Authority aspires to build a comprehensive emergency medical system managed with high operational efficiency and relying on diverse funding sources to ensure the Kingdom remains among the leading countries in the field of emergency medicine.