There are no major health risks in most parts of Saudi Arabia, although expatriates should ensure that they are vaccinated against TB, polio, hepatitis and tetanus. The area around Jizan in the south west of the country is potentially malarial, and the necessary precautions should be taken if visiting this region.

Most medicines are available from pharmacies in Saudi Arabia, and many that are only available on prescription in western countries can be bought over the counter here. It is advisable, however, to bring any medicines you really need in case they cannot be found.

Saudi Arabia has excellent medical facilities, and it is seldom necessary to travel overseas for treatment, although some expatriates do so under the provisions of their medical insurance. The King Fahd Medical City in Riyadh is one of the largest hospitals in the Middle East, and has particularly fine obstetric/gynecological and paediatric departments, as well as a wide range of other facilities. The King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital is one of the best eye hospitals in the world.

As well as the government hospitals, there are a number of private hospitals and clinics in the Kingdom, many of which employ British or American doctors and nursing staff.

Most employers provide healthcare insurance for their expatriate employees and sometimes for their dependents. If this is not provided, the cost of hospitalization and treatment can be very high, up to SR20,000 for a broken limb and SR50,000 for a heart attack, for example. It is therefore advisable, and will soon be mandatory, to take out private health insurance, either under a local hospital contract, or with an international health insurance provider.

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