Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Jul 11, 2025

Saudi ministry launches family health awareness campaign

Saudi ministry launches family health awareness campaign

A health campaign to highlight the importance of family physicians has been launched in Saudi Arabia.

The Ministry of Health program, titled “For you and your Family,” aims to raise awareness about the wide range of services available at family clinics, primary healthcare centers, and hospitals throughout the Kingdom.

Medical help includes the early detection of diseases, appropriate interventions, curative care, and continuous monitoring of common community illnesses.

Professor and family medicine consultant at King Saud University Medical City, Dr. Lubna Al-Ansary, told Arab News: “Each family is unique, but family members tend to have similar genetic predisposition and share the same habits related to lifestyle, perception of what is illness, as well as their help-seeking behaviors.

Dr. Lubna Al-Ansary


“When all members of the family consult the same physician, it means that communication relating to health and illness in the family is flowing.”

She said the practice helped doctors to understand family dynamics and health risks, improve diagnoses, and plan comprehensive health management approaches.

“The family physician is supposed to diagnose and treat 85 to 90 percent of the problems that patients have; only 10 to 15 percent will be referred to other specialties,” Al-Ansary added.

She pointed out that the provision of good family medicine formed the basis of any effective healthcare system, and that all medical graduates should experience working in the area.

In launching the initiative, ministry officials hope to help family physicians further understand the psychological state of patients, consider factors in their social environment, diagnose illnesses, provide medical advice for common symptoms and complaints such as headaches and localized pain, and offer early examination services for ailments including diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.

Al-Ansary said: “These other specialties focus on depth, while family medicine focuses on breadth. Family medicine focuses on people and families and how to help them maintain health while considering psychological and sociological aspects.”

She noted that doctors needed to be proactive in anticipating the future needs of families and preventing the development of illness and complications, through health education, screening, and early detection.

Chronic illnesses — non-communicable diseases — were on the rise, she added, but could often be dealt with by lifestyle changes that other family members could support.

“Another example is when a person is diagnosed with a terminal illness, like cancer, he or she is not the only patient as the whole family needs support in adapting and understanding what may come next.”

Family doctors also provided referrals to other medical specialties for patients requiring advanced therapeutic or surgical interventions, as well as health planning, and ongoing communication with individuals and their families.

In addition, Al-Ansary pointed out that primary healthcare centers provided services including gastroenterology, cardiology, pediatrics, sexual health advice, and radiology.

“The new model of care — a program of Vision 2030 — can only be properly implemented and sustained if there are enough well-trained family physicians who are financially satisfied, socially rewarded, and scientifically supported to keep up to date, to choose with their patients and families what is best for them, and to cater for the needs of society as a whole,” she added.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
×