His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Mohammed bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Jazan Region, sponsored today the ceremony for presenting the World Health Organization’s certificate accrediting Al-Ardah Governorate as a “Healthy City.”
The ceremony was held in the presence of His Highness Prince Nasser bin Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, Deputy Governor of the region; the Minister of Health, H.E.. Fahad Abdulrahman AlJalajel; and Dr. Mohammed Al-Qassim, Chairman of the Founding Board of the Southern Health Sector .
Upon his arrival at the Prince Sultan Cultural Center, the royal anthem was played, followed by a recitation from the Holy Qur’an to open the official program.
His Royal Highness and the attendees then watched presentations highlighting the efforts that led to Al Aridhah’s accreditation, including initiatives related to environmental compliance, air quality standards, pollution control, food and water safety, and tobacco control programs. The presentations also reviewed the work of local committees to ensure sustainable performance and continuous improvement in alignment with WHO standards.
Al Aridhah successfully met 80 of the WHO’s health city criteria, earning international accreditation in recognition of its public parks, walking tracks, and health promotion efforts through schools and primary healthcare centers, all in line with Saudi Vision 2030 and the Health Sector Transformation Program’s goal of building a vibrant society that prioritizes well-being.
The Minister of Health delivered a speech congratulating the Governor and Deputy Governor of Jazan on the achievement, describing it as a reflection of Vision 2030 programs, notably the Health Sector Transformation and Quality of Life Programs. He also praised the collective efforts of government, private, and nonprofit sectors in improving public health and quality of life.
The Minister noted that the Ministry of Health continues to expand the Healthy Cities Program across the Kingdom, as part of its commitment to building a preventive and comprehensive healthcare system aligned with the aspirations of Vision 2030.
Following that, Their Highnesses and the Minister of Health witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Jazan Health Directorate and Wijuh AlTibb Medical Company, supporting private sector engagement in sustainable health development in diagnostics, treatment, and radiology. Another memorandum of understanding was signed between the Jazan Health Cluster and Abdullah Al-Rajhi Charitable Foundation to establish a Center for Genetic Blood Disorders at Prince Mohammed bin Nasser Hospital.
At the end of the ceremony, the Governor received the WHO accreditation certificate from the Minister of Health, expressing his gratitude to the wise leadership for its continuous support in improving healthcare services and quality of life, and commending the joint efforts of all sectors that contributed to achieving this milestone.
Commemorative photos were then taken with the Governor, Deputy Governor, and Minister of Health, alongside representatives of the government entities involved in Al Aridhah’s accreditation as a Healthy City.