Today we are celebrating the 67th Anniversary of the Independence of our country with vigor and glory, and I am proud to convey my warmest greetings to the Sri Lankan expatriate community who are residing, staying and working in the western region of Saudi Arabia.
Independence is enjoying freedom of life, speech and faith and being economically free. All countries gain their independence for this purpose. Thus, we celebrate independence every year, in order to remember our war heroes who sacrificed their lives in the struggle to gain our freedom and to be reminded that we are enjoying the freedom obtained.
With the dawn of a new era, our country is pushing ahead with development schemes, creating great opportunities for the investment sector.
The Sri Lankan migrant community can play a pivotal role in the development of infrastructure and economy of the country.
Sri Lanka has gradually increased the amount of visiting tourists during the past years, especially from Saudi Arabia.
It is known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean and the paradise island on the earth, an island with extra ordinary natural beauty, valuable culture and proud history.
Hence I take this opportunity to urge the Sri Lankan community in the western region to continue their efforts in promoting this beautiful image of our country to the Arab world and to contribute to the nation promoting our tourism and attractive foreign investment from this region.
The Sri Lankan migrant workers already hold a major share in the development of the country as remittances have become the number one foreign exchange earner for the country during the past years.
The consulate general of Sri Lanka in Jeddah provides consular and welfare services to the Sri Lankan community in this region and also conducts visits to all major cities in the region on a regular basis for this purpose.
At this juncture, I wish to remind the slogan declared by the government of Sri Lanka for this year “Let Us Shoulder the Effort of Transforming Sri Lanka as an Emerging Economy in Asia”.
I kindly invite my fellow Sri Lankans to join hands, bury our differences, be united as Sri Lankans and strive to make ensuring an excellent public service delivery.
I take this opportunity to ask from Allah to grant the late King Abdullah with ‘Jannathul Firdous’ for the unforgettable services rendered during his ruling period.
I also would like to wish Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and the government of Saudi Arabia and hope the excellent bilateral relationship existing between our countries would continue at all levels.
I also wish to thank the Sri Lankan expatriate community and the Sri Lankan International School for their invaluable support to the consulate general’s activities.
Let us all celebrate this day proudly and value our nation by uniting and contributing to the economy and development of our motherland in every possible way.
Dr. A. Uthumalebbe
Consul General
Jeddah
Lankans play vital role in Kingdom's development
Lankans play vital role in Kingdom's development
Saudi Arabia advances in Universal Health Coverage index
- Life expectancy in Kingdom rose from 74 in 2016 to 79.7 in 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has made notable progress in the Universal Health Coverage Service Coverage Index, reinforcing its position among leading nations in global health indicators, according to the latest data released by the World Health Organization and the World Bank.
The Kingdom recorded a score of 83 points in the latest UHC update, marking a nine-point increase within two years and placing Saudi Arabia among countries classified as having high-level health service coverage.
The steady rise reflects sustained improvements over the past two decades and underscores the impact of the Kingdom’s Health Sector Transformation Program under Saudi Vision 2030.
The UHC Service Coverage Index is one of the internationally recognized Sustainable Development Goal indicators and measures access to essential health services across key areas, including preventive care, treatment, and system capacity.
Progress in the index is closely linked to broader development outcomes such as improved quality of life, reduced disease burden, and enhanced social well-being.
Saudi Arabia’s advancement has been driven by a strategic focus on preventive healthcare, strengthened primary care services, expanded early screening programs, and increased health system readiness.
The transformation has also been supported by rapid digitalization, including platforms such as Sehhaty and the Seha Virtual Hospital, which have expanded access to care and improved service efficiency nationwide.
These reforms have translated into measurable public health gains. Life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rose from 74 years in 2016 to about 79.7 in 2025, bringing the Kingdom close to its Vision 2030 target of 80 years and highlighting the effectiveness of preventive and treatment programs.
Health Minister Fahad Abdulrahman AlJalajel said the progress reflected the tangible outcomes of Vision 2030 and sustained leadership support.
He said: “The improvements we see today in international health indicators demonstrate the real impact of the Kingdom’s health transformation, which prioritizes prevention, primary care empowerment, and digital health solutions. Raising life expectancy to 79.7 years is the result of an integrated effort focused on improving people’s health and quality of life.”
Saudi Arabia’s progress in the UHC index further strengthens its standing among G20 countries and underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to building a more efficient, resilient, and sustainable health system, with people at the center of national development.
