Navigating the 2022 Physician Workforce Dynamics in Saudi Arabia: A Study of Regional Distribution

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 aims for comprehensive healthcare coverage and the nationalization of its workforce. However, physician distribution and composition disparities threaten these goals, negatively impacting access to and quality of healthcare services.

This study examines physician-to-population ratios and workforce composition across 20 Saudi Arabian health regions, guided by the research question: What are the disparities in physician distribution and workforce composition across regions, and how might these affect healthcare service equity and Saudization efforts?

A secondary analysis utilized the Ministry of Health’s 2022 Statistical Yearbook. Physician distribution and composition were explored using descriptive statistics, the Gini Coefficient, and a Lorenz curve.

Findings reveal significant imbalances. While Riyadh, the capital region, hosts the largest number of physicians (20,385 physicians), its large population yields a lower physician-to-population ratio (2.5 per 1,000 persons), reflecting significant challenges in service provision. Al-Jouf and Northern regions exhibit higher ratios (4.5 and 4.2 per 1,000, respectively), indicating a better balance. Non-Saudi physicians remain prominent, especially in Bishah and Najran (92.5% in Bishah and 88.6% in Najran), suggesting a need for stronger Saudization policies. While there are no exact figures on the countries from which these physicians originate, estimates indicate that they mainly come from countries such as Egypt, Sudan, India, and Pakistan, reflecting long-standing recruitment patterns within the Gulf region .

Significant regional disparities exist in the distribution of the physician workforce across Saudi Arabia, with a notable reliance on foreign physicians. Addressing these inequalities through Saudization and targeted policies is crucial for improving healthcare access, ensuring equitable resource allocation, and achieving sustainable workforce development nationwide.

These findings highlight significant disparities in the distribution of Saudi Arabia’s healthcare workforce, which can hinder the achievement of Vision 2030 goals. To address these imbalances, the study recommends specific measures, including expanding regional healthcare clusters, implementing targeted workforce incentives, increasing training capacity for Saudi physicians, and prioritizing underserved regions in national workforce planning. These actions are critical to reducing reliance on foreign physicians, promoting equitable access to care, and aligning service demand with a sustainable supply of qualified professionals across all regions.