Saudi Arabia Leads Region with 21 WHO-Accredited Healthy Cities

Marking World Cities Day, observed annually on October 31, Saudi Arabia leads the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa region with 21 cities accredited as healthy cities by the World Health Organization (WHO). These include the Middle East’s two largest healthy cities with populations exceeding one million, Jeddah and Madinah, reflecting Saudi Vision 2030 objectives for a vibrant society enjoying healthy, sustainable lives.
 This progress reflects Saudi Arabia’s approach to developing healthy, sustainable urban environments by meeting 80 international standards across nine key areas: community empowerment for health and development, intersectoral cooperation, community information centers, skills development and capacity building, health services, the urban environment, emergency preparedness and response, education, and support for small projects.
 The accredited list includes Jeddah, Al-Khobar, Hail, Tabuk, Madinah, Unaizah, Al-Jumum, Diriyah, Taif, Jalajil, Al-Ghat, Al-Zulfi, Riyadh Al-Khubara, Sharurah, Al-Aridhah, Al-Mandaq, Abha, Muhayil Aseer, Tarib, King Khalid University, and Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.
 These achievements reflect coordination among the Ministry of Health, the Ministerial Committee for Health in All Policies, and government entities. This national approach integrates health into development policies and decisions, making healthy cities a shared responsibility encompassing urban planning, education, the environment, and community services.
 The Ministry of Health’s Healthy Cities Program is the first WHO collaborating center in the region and the fourth globally, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s efforts to embed health and quality of life in sustainable urban development.