Zambia, Saudi Arabia to fast-track completion of King Salman hospital

Zambia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have agreed to accelerate the construction of the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Specialized Hospital, ensuring its completion and operationalization before the end of 2025.

The agreement was reportedly reached following high-level meetings between the two nations in Riyadh from March 17 to 18, 2025, aimed at resolving obstacles to the hospital’s timely completion.

According to a statement from Zambia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the hospital—dedicated to women and children—would be one of the largest and most advanced medical facilities in Zambia.

“The hospital will feature state-of-the-art medical equipment, over 800 bed spaces, 20 operating theatres, and five intensive care units, requiring a workforce of more than 3,000 medical professionals once fully operational,” the statement read.

The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Specialized Hospital, currently under construction in Lusaka, will stand as a symbol of the strong and growing partnership between Zambia and Saudi Arabia if actualized.

The Zambian delegation, led by Professor Lackson Kasonka, Permanent Secretary for Special Duties at Cabinet Office, included officials from the Ministries of Health and Finance, the local project contractor, and consultants from the project implementation unit, along with representatives from Zambia’s mission in Riyadh.

On the Saudi side, the delegation was led by Yasser Alotaibi, Director of East and Southern Africa Operations at the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), and comprised officials from the SFD, as well as the Saudi-based contractor and consultant.

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