Moroccan healthcare group AKDITAL opens first hospital in Saudi Arabia

Moroccan healthcare group AKDITAL has opened its first hospital in Saudi Arabia after receiving authorization from the Saudi Ministry of Health, marking the company's first physical expansion outside Morocco. AKDITAL Hospitals Al Olaya, located in Riyadh's Al Olaya district, is now operational and has begun receiving patients, the group said Monday. The opening marks a new phase in AKDITAL's expansion after the company established a network of 45 healthcare facilities across 25 cities in Morocco. The group said its expansion into Saudi Arabia comes as the kingdom seeks to increase healthcare capacity and attract private investment under its Vision 2030 program. 140-bed hospital in Riyadh The Al Olaya facility covers more than 17,600 square meters and has 140 beds and more than 50 specialized healthcare units. The hospital includes a medical imaging and diagnostic center, 11 operating theaters and procedure rooms, more than 30 critical-care beds and an 18-bed emergency department. Its medical services include cardiology, oncology and hematology, gastroenterology, ophthalmology, dialysis and diabetology. The hospital also has dedicated women's health services, including a maternity ward, delivery rooms and fertility and in vitro fertilization services. AKDITAL said the facility brings diagnosis, treatment and follow-up services together within a single hospital, with specialized medical, nursing and paramedical teams supporting patient care and coordination. Saudi expansion plan The Riyadh hospital is the first step in a broader Saudi expansion plan. AKDITAL said it plans to invest 5.3 billion Saudi riyals, or about $1.4 billion, in developing its hospital operations in the kingdom by 2030. The company said the investment is intended to establish a long-term presence within Saudi Arabia's healthcare system while adapting its experience in Morocco to the kingdom's regulatory and healthcare environment. AKDITAL, which is listed on the Casablanca Stock Exchange, described Riyadh as the starting point for its international expansion under the AKDITAL Hospitals brand. The group said its expansion strategy is aligned with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which includes efforts to develop healthcare infrastructure and increase private-sector participation in the sector.