Healthcare Outreach and Its Economic Effect - Dissertation Example

As countries around the globe respond to the WHO definition of healthcare system vis-à-vis globalization, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been the source of inspiration. Saudi Arabia is considered a young nation, founded in 1932 (Baranowski, 2009).  However, despite this fact, Saudi Arabia has provided its people comprehensive and universal coverage in their health care access and services.

Saudi Arabia has been categorized by WHO as belonging to the upper-middle-class category (2006).  In this regard, it becomes undeniable that the country is considered affluent. The economic progress in the country, which ensued as a result of the increase in the price of oil in the world market is not only evident in the development of infrastructures, telecommunications, and other signs of development and progress.  The government of Saudi Arabia has steadily invested in the health care system of the country because the government recognizes the crucial role of the supposition that in Saudi Arabia health care should be made available to everybody regardless of gender, nationality, and economic status (Boutayeb & Serghini, 2006; WHO, 2006). Saudi Arabia’s universal and comprehensive health care coverage is an attestation of the truism that economic development should permeate in all segments and sectors of society (Stiglitz, 2009). For it is in this way, that economic development can be claimed to be working for the people, as it becomes manifest in the increased quality of life (Balakrishnan, 2010; Stiglitz, 2009).

In Saudi Arabia, the primary health care provider is the government. The financial burden of the disease is shouldered by the government, thus, the citizens have been freed from the concerns and difficulties arising from illness. Despite, universal and comprehensive health care access and coverage, Saudi Arabian government continues its effort in improving further the country’s health care system. This affirms the notion, that even with the universal coverage, the reality that challenges to health remain. As such, creativity and innovativeness in finding solutions to the problems and responding to these concerns are persistently sought. This research deals with one of these concerns – the impact of out-reach programs of hospitals on its operational costs and overall costs.


1.1. Problem Statement
            Saudi Arabian government is now opening its doors to the private sector in terms of delivering Saudi Arabia’s health care (WHO, 2006). The government is exercising due diligence in this venture because the government has to watch for and protect the interest of its people.   In fact, until 2009 it can be shown that the government has been spending a huge amount and part of its budget in maintaining and sustaining the comprehensive and universal health care coverage in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Government’s own statistics show that 70-75% of the budget is allocated to the health ministry. These funds are used for health and social development.