Medical Services General Directorate
Since its founding by His Majesty, the late King Abdul-Aziz, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has paid close attention to health care, which was a great motivation to continue the effort for the development of the health sector in the Kingdom in general, and in the armed forces in particular.
Since His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General assumed the mission of the Ministry of Defense, efforts of development have continued at all levels.
This was evident by qualitative leaps achieved by the Medical Services General Directorate in the increase of health facilities that provide treatment for the children of the armed forces personnel and their dependents. Many large specialized hospitals and health centers have been established, equipped with state-of-the-art modern medical equipment and managed by very skillful Saudi personnel.
The organization of the Armed Forces in Saudi Arabia led to the establishment of the Army Medical Department in Taif city in 1367(AH), as a 10-bed clinic. However, in 1370 (AH), it was renamed Military Health, and in 1371 (AH), Prince Mansour Military Hospital in Taif was inaugurated with a capacity of 36 beds, which was eventually increased to 100 beds by the end of the year.
In 1373 (AH), Prince Meshal Hospital in Al-Kharj was inaugurated, followed in the same year by the inauguration of the Armed Forces Hospital in Riyadh.
On 29/12/1392 (AH), an executive decree by His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince and Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General was issued to amend the title into the “Armed Forces Medical Services General Directorate” and its services have expanded to include all Armed Forces sectors, with a separate budget, as from the fiscal year of 1394 AH / 1395 AH.