WISH: Saudi Arabia’s healthcare workers identify leadership and training as essential for future health system resilience

WISH: Saudi Arabia’s healthcare workers identify leadership and training as essential for future health system resilience

DOHA, Qatar/PRNewswire/ -- Saudi Arabia's healthcare practitioners recognize the critical nature of strong organizational leadership as well as staff education for building health system resilience in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an international survey.

Considering the factors that bolster the ability of health systems to perform better during such crises, over half (52 percent) of Saudi Arabia's healthcare professionals pointed to the importance of leadership support as a key driver of resilient health systems, found the study, which was conducted by YouGov on behalf of the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH).

Additionally, Saudi Arabia's healthcare workers (26 percent) also highlighted that robust training programs form a key component of health system resilience. In this category, they ranked top amongst global peers in the UK (8 percent), US (11 percent), Nigeria (13 percent), Brazil (16 percent) and India (18 percent).

Health system resilience is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the ability to prepare for, manage and learn from sudden and extreme changes, including pandemics. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has raised alarm over underlying issues in global health systems that are undermining this ability, and posing as major threats to their survival in the event of similar large-scale