Saudi deputy health minister meets World Health Organization’s regional director

Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister of health for planning and development, Abdulaziz Al-Rumaih, held talks on Tuesday with the World Health Organization’s regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr. Hanan Balkhy. (Ministry of Health)
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Updated 13 January 2026
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Saudi deputy health minister meets World Health Organization’s regional director

  • Their meeting is part of efforts to strengthen the strategic partnership between the Kingdom’s Ministry of Health and WHO

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister of health for planning and development, Abdulaziz Al-Rumaih, held talks on Tuesday with the World Health Organization’s regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr. Hanan Balkhy.

Their meeting was part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the strategic partnership between the Kingdom’s Ministry of Health and the WHO, officials said, and to advance high-level dialogue on shared regional and global health priorities.

They reviewed the outcomes of the first Strategic Dialogue between Saudi Arabia and WHO, which took place in August 2024, and explored opportunities for enhanced cooperation in a number of areas, including regional and international health priorities, and the development of resilient and sustainable health systems.




Abdulaziz Al-Rumaih held talks on Tuesday with the World Health Organization’s regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr. Hanan Balkhy. (Ministry of Health)

They highlighted the importance of effective international partnerships in efforts to improve the quality of healthcare services, the Ministry of Health said.

They also discussed the ministry’s objectives for the expansion of health-investment opportunities and a strengthening of Saudi Arabia’s role in the global health arena, with the aim of reinforcing the Kingdom’s position as a key international health partner, and a contributor to the shaping of global health policies, the localization of the pharmaceuticals sector, and the transfer of technology, it added.

Balkhy’s official visit to the Kingdom will conclude on Wednesday.


Mawhiba awards 68 students grand prizes for science competition

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Mawhiba awards 68 students grand prizes for science competition

  • The winning students will carry Saudi Arabia’s banner at the International Science and Engineering Fair, “ISEF 2026,” alongside other global talents

RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, or Mawhiba, revealed on Thursday the grand prize recipients of the Ibdaa Science and Engineering Fair, marking the conclusion of the 16th National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity.

The event, held from Jan. 25-29, in strategic collaboration with the Ministry of Education, represents the culmination of Saudi Arabia’s premier youth science competition.

The winning students will carry Saudi Arabia’s banner at the International Science and Engineering Fair, “ISEF 2026,” alongside other global talents.

Their selection follows an intensive four-month scientific gauntlet that attracted more than 357,000 participants submitting more than 34,000 research projects.

Sixty-eight exceptional students emerged victorious with grand prizes.

Earlier in the day, Mawhiba announced 84 students as recipients of special recognitions from a consortium of 12 ministries, agencies, and prominent national and international institutions.

The special awards comprised 59 domestic honors and 25 international distinctions for exceptional projects featured at the Ibdaa 2026.

The path to victory proved demanding. Participants navigated multiple elimination rounds, beginning with 16 regional showcases that advanced 500 projects.

Four centralized exhibitions followed, narrowing the field to 200 finalists for the Ibdaa Science and Engineering Fair.

An expert jury of 166 evaluators drawn from more than 40 public and private universities, plus additional research centers, assessed each submission, assigning five judges per project to ensure thorough evaluation.

The Ibdaa Olympiad operates as an annual scientific tournament through the strategic partnership of Mawhiba and the Ministry of Education.

Competitors submit individual research projects adhering to rigorous specifications and protocols.

Distinguished academics and specialists apply systematic scientific benchmarks to identify exemplary work worthy of advancement to elite competitive tiers, ultimately selecting the finest entries for representation at ISEF and comparable international scientific forums and competitions.