Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized

FEBRUARY 2023
COUNCIL (GCC)

FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS
GULF COOPERATION

COUNTRY PROGRAM
CONTENTS
01 HUMAN CAPITAL
AND GENDER

02 EQUITABLE GROWTH,
FINANCE AND INSTITUTIONS

06 EDUCATION

08
HEALTH, NUTRITION AND
POPULATION: REPORTS AND
DISCUSSION PAPERS

11 HEALTH, NUTRITION AND

POPULATION: JOURNAL ARTICLES

18 SOCIAL PROTECTION
AND JOBS

20 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
AND INFRASTRUCTURE
 HUMAN CAPITAL HUMAN CAPITAL AND GENDER
AND GENDER
FOSTERING HUMAN CAPITAL IN THE GULF COOPERATION
EQUITABLE COUNCIL COUNTRIES
GROWTH, FINANCE
The formation of human capital--the knowledge, skills, and health
AND INSTITUTIONS
that people accumulate over their lifetimes--is critical for the six
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. To address the challenges,
EDUCATION this report outlines four strategies in a “whole-of-government”
approach: investing in high-quality early childhood development;
preparing healthier, better educated, and skilled youth for the
HEALTH, NUTRITION future; enabling greater adult labor force participation; creating an
AND POPULATION: enabling environment for human capital formation These strategies
REPORTS AND are based on best practices in other countries and feature some of
DISCUSSION PAPERS the GCC countries’ plans, including their national “Visions,” to take
their economies and societies further into the twenty-first century.
Published June 2020
HEALTH, NUTRITION
AND POPULATION: [Link]
JOURNAL ARTICLES handle/10986/33946?deliveryName=DM74141

SOCIAL
PROTECTION
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE): LEGAL REFORMS TO STRENGTHEN
AND JOBS WOMEN’S ECONOMIC INCLUSION - CASE STUDY
In 2019-2020, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) introduced a
historic package of legal reforms aimed at strengthening women’s
SUSTAINABLE economic participation, in line with its national policy commitment
DEVELOPMENT AND to gender balance. The reforms signified a major milestone for
INFRASTRUCTURE the region, introducing paid parental leave in the private sector
for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA),
enabling women to choose where to live and to travel outside the
home and internationally in the same way as men, introducing
the principle of equal pay for work of equal value, and lifting the
obedience provision in the UAE’s Personal Status Law. This case
study explores the nature of the legal reforms in the UAE, their
potential implications for women’s economic empowerment and the
UAE’s gender policy goals, and the factors that provided the enabling
conditions for change.
Published September 2022
[Link]
documents-reports/documentdetail/099419309142218876/
idu073eb970d033eb04d4608fc80d158fa944973

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 1

 HUMAN CAPITAL EQUITABLE GROWTH, FINANCE
AND GENDER
AND INSTITUTIONS
EQUITABLE
GROWTH, FINANCE
AND INSTITUTIONS GULF ECONOMIC UPDATES
A series of semiannual reports prepared by the MNA MTI Global practice.
EDUCATION Each report provides an overall economic update for each GCC country and
examines a select topic in depth.

HEALTH, NUTRITION FALL 2019

AND POPULATION: Gulf Economic Update: Economic Diversification for a Sustainable
REPORTS AND and Resilient GCC. This edition explores the links between economic
DISCUSSION PAPERS diversification and environmental sustainability. The analysis
highlights the need to integrate environmental sustainability and
ecosystem resilience considerations into the decision-making
HEALTH, NUTRITION process on the diversification paths and options in the GCC
AND POPULATION: countries.
JOURNAL ARTICLES
The In Focus section in this edition of the Gulf Economic Update
identifies three important ways through which regional investment
SOCIAL strategies could better align diversification with environmental
PROTECTION sustainability and climate resilience.
AND JOBS [Link]
economic-monitor-december-2019

SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT AND
SPRING 2021
INFRASTRUCTURE
Gulf Economic Update: COVID-19 Pandemic and the Road to
Diversification. In this issue of the Gulf Economic Update, the focus
is on fiscal revenues and structural reforms including strategic
investments in digitalization and telecommunications. Strategic
investment in advanced telecommunications technologies,
including 5G, is underway in the GCC but beyond capital spending
on infrastructure, the telecommunications sector would benefit
greatly from improvements in the legal, regulatory, and competition
frameworks under which service providers operate.
[Link]
economic-update-covid-19-pandemic-and-the-road-to-diversification

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 2

EQUITABLE GROWTH, FINANCE AND INSTITUTIONS

FALL 2021
Gulf Economic Update: Seizing the Opportunity for a Sustainable Recovery. This issue’s special
section focused on the GCC wage bill as an important part of the existing social contract
whereby GCC governments have provided free health care, education, social security benefits,
and subsidized housing and utilities to their citizens. In addition, citizens have been quasi-
guaranteed well-paid public sector jobs. This model worked well while oil prices were high
and local populations limited. However, as oil prices slumped, populations grew rapidly, and
the wage bill has become both an important contributor to fiscal deficits as well as a drag on
potential growth of the private sector. The section highlights the need to rein in civil service
growth and salary inflation to put the wage bill on a sustainable footing within a new economic
model based on private sector growth and development.
[Link]
opportunity-for-a-sustainable-recovery

SPRING 2022
Gulf Economic Update: Achieving Climate Change Pledges. The special section of this issue
discusses opportunities to restructure energy subsidies in the region, as well as opportunities
that exist for the GCC countries to become renewable energy powerhouses by diversifying into
green technologies. This transition to an environment-friendly model will be a recurrent theme
in future issues of the Gulf Economic Update, making this the first in a series that will focus on
green growth in the region.
[Link]
climate-change-pledges

FALL 2022
Gulf Economic Update: Green Growth Opportunities in the GCC. This issue of the Gulf
Economic Update includes a special section focused on GCC green growth opportunities for the
GCC countries as the world accelerates transition to a greener future. Moving away from fossil
fuels towards greener energy should not be seen as a threat but as a tremendous opportunity.
This direction is entirely in line with GCC country vision documents that outline an image
of the economy of the future that relies increasingly on the private sector playing a leading
role in investment, job creation and value addition. The report presents the latest economic
developments in the GCC focusing on the post-pandemic recovery, the vaccine roll-out and the
implications of a more favorable oil market. The team will highlight the medium-term prospects
given continued volatility in the oil market and the need to diversify GCC economies.
[Link]

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 3

EQUITABLE GROWTH, FINANCE AND INSTITUTIONS

FROM #HASHTAGS TO LEGISLATION: ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT FOR ECONOMIC

REFORMS IN THE GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COUNTRIES
Ownership of reforms by citizens is often presented as important for success. This paper
explores media engagement and support for economic reforms in the Gulf Cooperation Council
countries using text analysis techniques on publicly available sources. The results show that
while reform efforts have intensified in recent years in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries,
these efforts tend to focus on stronger rather than weaker policy areas, potentially limiting
the growth-enhancing effect of reforms. Social media analysis using Twitter shows that the
population’s support for reforms has been declining. The analysis of traditional news media
points to more engagement by international than by local media. However, sentiment from
international media is less positive about economic reforms in the Gulf Cooperation Council
countries. Sentiment in international media and social media matters, as evidenced by its
positive and strong correlation with foreign direct investment inflows into the Gulf Cooperation
Council countries.
Published June 2022
[Link]
[Link]?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY INDEX FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR

The first of its kind, both globally and within the MENA region, the pilot study benchmarked
20 public sector organizations alongside each other, to provide a snapshot of their existing
knowledge management practices and their relationship to Human Resources (HR), Information
Technology (IT) systems, and Organizational Culture. The report is based on findings from a
survey that was sent to over 2,200 public servants in 20 organizations. The findings also include
information gathered from 24 participating agencies in the form of focus group discussions.
It is hoped that this study is a first step towards sharing the good practices that already exist
in the finance and oil sector to “bridge the knowledge” from Kuwait’s highest performing
organizations to their counterparts in the public and private sectors.
Published January 2022
[Link]
documentdetail/099151003202317502/p16932706b77e40a0985b06e5de2b96878

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 4

BEST PRACTICES IN THE OPERATION OF PARTIAL CREDIT GUARANTEE SCHEMES: GUIDE
FOR POLICY MAKERS
As part of the technical cooperation program agreement with the Saudi government, the World
Bank Group (WBG) team has been working with the management and staff of the Kafalah
partial credit guarantee scheme (PCGS) to provide technical assistance to strengthen Kafalah’s
operations, introduce products innovations, and integrate global best practices. This policy
note summarizes best practices on various topics of interest to Kafalah that the WBG provided
during 2018-2020.
Published January 2021
[Link]

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 5

 HUMAN CAPITAL EDUCATION
AND GENDER
PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL EVALUATION AND ACCREDITATION IN
EQUITABLE SAUDI ARABIA
GROWTH, FINANCE
A report on ETEC’s program for school evaluation and accreditation
AND INSTITUTIONS
in Saudi Arabia, developed between late 2021 and June 2022,
presents a comprehensive review of Saudi Arabia’s plans and
EDUCATION developments in school evaluation and accreditation. The report
was developed in close collaboration between teams from the
World Bank and ETEC’s Tamayoz center. In developing the report,
HEALTH, NUTRITION various plans and documents related to Saudi Arabia’s new program
AND POPULATION: for school evaluation and accreditation – e.g., organizational
REPORTS AND frameworks, procedural guides, standards, and tools – were
DISCUSSION PAPERS reviewed. The World Bank team also met with small groups of
stakeholders, including evaluation and accreditation specialists,
school principals, and parents. A number of key findings and
HEALTH, NUTRITION further recommendations are presented in the report, drawing on
AND POPULATION: international evidence of good practices and lessons learned from
JOURNAL ARTICLES other countries.
Published February 2023

SOCIAL [Link]
PROTECTION documents-reports/documentdetail/099152002232323793/
AND JOBS p17551414058d23f1316c143f31ab4f1d1ba718169f6

SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT AND SAUDI ARABIA’S DIGITAL AND DISTANCE EDUCATION:
INFRASTRUCTURE EXPERIENCES FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND
OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT
Faced with the crisis of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
pandemic in March 2020, Saudi Arabia embarked on a journey to
adapt the way in which schooling operated, enabling a continued
education for children across the country. This report compiles
the results of the study of Saudi experience and provides a
comprehensive review of the experiences of digital and distance
education in Saudi Arabia, along with an analysis of opportunities
for future educational improvement. A variety of data gathering
instruments were designed and implemented by the World Bank
team. The data sources included focus groups; surveys of nationally
representative groups of school principals, teachers, students,
parents, and supervisors; virtual classroom observations;

Continued

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 6

and interviews with key personnel. Analyses of these data informed the conclusions and recommendations presented in this
report.
Published February 2022

[Link]
from-the-covid-19-pandemic-and-opportunities-for-educational-i

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 7

 HUMAN CAPITAL HEALTH, NUTRITION & POPULATION:
AND GENDER
REPORTS & DISCUSSION PAPERS
EQUITABLE
GROWTH, FINANCE
STRENGTHENING THE PHARMACEUTICAL SYSTEM IN THE KINGDOM
AND INSTITUTIONS
OF SAUDI ARABIA TOWARDS A MEDICINE POLICY TO SUPPORT
VISION 2030
EDUCATION
The National Transformation Program (NTP) aims, over time, to achieve
better and more equitable health outcomes while reducing pressure on
HEALTH, NUTRITION public finances. A new medicine policy is needed to support those aims
AND POPULATION: by laying out the medium- and long-term strategies of KSA in relation to
medicines, thus providing direction to public and private actors on both
REPORTS AND
the demand and the supply side of the market. This discussion paper
DISCUSSION PAPERS
was produced by the Saudi Health Council, with a team of authors from
the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, the Ministry of Health, and the
HEALTH, NUTRITION World Bank. The document is an output of the Reimbursable Advisory
AND POPULATION: Services (RAS) program between the World Bank and the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia (KSA).It presents the major issues that were discussed in
JOURNAL ARTICLES
the process of working towards the development of a new medicines
policy in Saudi Arabia, examining current national practice in light of
SOCIAL international practices and experiences.
PROTECTION Published June 2020
AND JOBS
[Link]
handle/10986/35846/Strengthening-the-Pharmaceutical-System-in-
SUSTAINABLE the-Kingdom-of-Saudi-Arabia-Towards-a-Medicine-Policy-to-Support-
[Link]?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
DEVELOPMENT AND
INFRASTRUCTURE

HEALTH WORKFORCE INTERVENTIONS: EXPERIENCES FROM HIGH-

AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES: DISCUSSION PAPER
This evidence review examines the global published and gray literature
on interventions designed to improve the availability, distribution
and performance of health workers, focusing on physicians, nurses,
and allied health professionals in high- and middle-income countries.
The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of such policies, and
to provide links to more detailed studies, rather than to provide a
comprehensive and in-depth analysis of each.
Published June 2020
[Link]
Workforce_Interventions_Experiences_from_High-and_Middle-
Income_Countries

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 8

HEALTH, NUTRITION AND POPULATION: REPORTS AND DISCUSSION PAPERS

THE NURSING WORKFORCE IN SAUDI ARABIA: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

This paper summarizes the status of the nursing profession in Saudi Arabia, highlighting some
of its key challenges and opportunities. The paper identifies and presents various options
for nursing interventions and policies and is intended to be used as a resource for discussion
and ideas on nursing reform. The paper was designed to elicit discussion and to serve as
a background document for rigorous analytical work, and planning efforts, including the
development of health workforce policies and strategies for Saudi Arabia.
Published June 2020
[Link]
Arabia_Challenges_and_Opportunities

THE PHYSICIAN WORKFORCE IN SAUDI ARABIA: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

This paper summarizes the status of the medical profession in Saudi Arabia, highlighting some
of its key challenges and opportunities. The paper identifies and presents various options for
targeted interventions and policies related to the medical profession and is intended to be used
as a resource for discussion and ideas on physician reform. It was designed to elicit discussion
and to serve as a background document for rigorous analytical work and planning efforts,
including the development of health workforce policies and strategies for Saudi Arabia.
Published September 2020
[Link]
Arabia_Challenges_and_Opportunities

OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY IN SAUDI ARABIA: CONSEQUENCES AND SOLUTIONS

Overweight and obesity are both a disease and a biological risk factor linked to
noncommunicable diseases. More than half of the adult population in Saudi Arabia is
overweight, and one out of five is considered obese. These rates echo what is seen in other
Gulf Cooperation Countries, representing an alarming regional challenge. Overweight and
obesity have a large impact on the economy, through reduced productivity, increased disability,
increased health-care costs, and reduced life expectancy. As Saudi Arabia undergoes massive
economic transformation through Vision 2030, addressing this issue will contribute significantly
to building its human capital, ensuring higher economic growth, and sustaining a workforce
that is healthy and prepared for a productive future. While the causes of overweight and
obesity are complex and numerous, several innovative and multisectoral evidence-based
interventions are emerging globally as promising. Saudi Arabia has already embarked on
the design and implementation of several such interventions and is committed to further
expanding and scaling up such efforts in order to meet national goals and achieve results.
Published July 2022
[Link]
saudi-arabia

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 9

HEALTH, NUTRITION AND POPULATION: REPORTS AND DISCUSSION PAPERS

COVID-19 AND MENTAL HEALTH IN VULNERABLE POPULATIONS: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

This paper examines the global implications of COVID-19 on mental health, with a focus on
four particularly vulnerable populations: (1) unemployed adults; (2) youth; (3) older-age
populations; and (4) healthcare workers. Considering the global public health burden of mental
disorders, understanding COVID-19’s psychological impact on vulnerable populations may
provide policy makers with the information necessary to effectively direct resources. The paper
focuses on these populations because racial, gender, and social class disparities endure in most
educational and work opportunities.
Published March 2021
[Link]

A LABOR MARKET ASSESSMENT OF NURSES AND PHYSICIANS IN SAUDI ARABIA:

ADDRESSING FUTURE IMBALANCES BETWEEN NEED, SUPPLY, AND DEMAND
This book presents rigorous, empirical, and quantitative evidence to support national-
level strategic planning efforts on human resources for health in Saudi Arabia. The book,
a collaborative effort between the Saudi Health Council and the World Bank, is a first to
anticipate and quantify projected future labor market imbalances of nurses and physicians in
Saudi Arabia and to identify solutions to close those gaps. Drawing on the latest principles and
modeling techniques in epidemiology and economics, the book forecasts future imbalances
between epidemiological need and labor market supply and demand. It culminates in a set of
policy recommendations to improve the availability, distribution, and performance of Saudi
nurses and physicians. The book is expected to be of interest to health workforce planners and
health systems researchers working in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
Published September 2021
[Link]

NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES IN SAUDI ARABIA: TOWARD EFFECTIVE

INTERVENTIONS FOR PREVENTION
To support strategic planning efforts, the book assesses the latest evidence on the NCDs
prevalence and risk factors; explores the health and economic burden of NCDs, as well as their
impact on human capital; and identifies key gaps in prevention efforts and ways to address
these gaps. The book discusses the need for a national master plan for NCD prevention—one
that is selective and targeted, with a particular focus on improving the implementation of cost-
effective interventions and achieving results. The book will be of interest to all those who work
on NCDs in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
Published November 2021
[Link]

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 10

 HUMAN CAPITAL HEALTH, NUTRITION AND
AND GENDER
POPULATION: JOURNAL ARTICLES
EQUITABLE
GROWTH, FINANCE
HUMAN RESOURCES FOR HEALTH INTERVENTIONS IN HIGH- AND
AND INSTITUTIONS
MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES: FINDINGS OF AN EVIDENCE REVIEW
This paper examines published and grey evidence on interventions to train, recruit, retain,
EDUCATION distribute, and manage an effective health workforce, focusing on physicians, nurses, and allied
health professionals in high- and middle-income countries.
HEALTH, NUTRITION Published by Human Resources for Health, June 2020
AND POPULATION: [Link]
REPORTS AND
DISCUSSION PAPERS
INDIVIDUALS WITH OBESITY AND COVID-19: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
HEALTH, NUTRITION ON THE EPIDEMIOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS
AND POPULATION: After a systematic search of the Chinese and English language literature on COVID-19, 75 studies
JOURNAL ARTICLES were used to conduct a series of meta-analyses on the relationship of individuals with obesity–
COVID-19 over the full spectrum from risk to mortality. A systematic review of the mechanistic
pathways for COVID-19 and individuals with obesity is presented in this article prepared jointly by
SOCIAL the World Bank and Saudi Health Council experts.
PROTECTION Published by Obesity Review, August 2020
AND JOBS
[Link]

SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT AND INDIVIDUALS WITH OBESITY AND COVID-19: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE EPIDEMIOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS
A systematic review of the mechanistic pathways for COVID-19 and individuals with obesity is
presented in this article. After a systematic search of the Chinese and English language literature
on COVID-19, 75 studies were used to conduct a series of meta-analyses on the relationship of
individuals with obesity–COVID-19 over the full spectrum from risk to mortality.
Published by Obesity Reviews, August 2020
[Link]

CHALLENGES AND POLICY OPPORTUNITIES IN NURSING IN SAUDI

ARABIA
This case study summarizes Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) and Saudi Health Council’s (SHCs)
evaluation of the current challenges facing the nursing profession in the KSA. It proposes policy

Continued

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 11

HEALTH, NUTRITION AND POPULATION: JOURNAL ARTICLES

interventions to support the transformation of nursing into a profession that contributes to efficient, high-quality healthcare
for every Saudi citizen. Key to the success of modernizing the Saudi workforce will be an improved pipeline of nurses
that leads from middle and high school to nursing school; followed by a diverse career path that includes postgraduate
education.
[Link]

ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FACTORS AND HEALTH: AN UMBRELLA REVIEW OF META-

ANALYSES
This study summarizes the epidemiological evidence on environmental risk factors from meta-analyses through an umbrella
review conducted on meta-analyses of cohort, case-control, case-crossover, and time-series studies that evaluated the
associations between environmental risk factors and health outcomes defined as incidence, prevalence, and mortality. The
evidence presented by this review should help to design public health interventions and the implementation of health in all
policies approach aiming to improve populational health.
Published by International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, January 2021
[Link]

THE CAPACITY OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE FACILITIES IN SAUDI ARABIA:

INFRASTRUCTURE, SERVICES, DRUG AVAILABILITY, AND HUMAN RESOURCES
The study uses a countrywide Facility Survey that collected data in 2018 from 2319 PHCCs, generating information on
their characteristics, number of health workers, services provided, and capacity elements captured through the Service
Availability and Drug Availability constructed indices. Descriptive analysis was performed by rural-urban classification.
Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions were used to understand correlates to health workers and equipment availability.
Finally, a logistic regression was fitted for selected services. Regressions controlled for various measures to determine
correlates with facilities’ capacity.
Published by BMC Health Services Research, April 2021
[Link]

A NEEDS-BASED METHODOLOGY TO PROJECT PHYSICIANS AND NURSES TO 2030: THE

CASE OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
To help with the workforce planning, a joint Saudi Public Health Council and the World Bank team of authors developed a
new needs-based methodology for workforce planning, taking into consideration the health needs of the KSA population,
cost-effective treatment service delivery models, and worker productivity.
Published by Human Resources for Health, April 2021
[Link]

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 12

HEALTH, NUTRITION AND POPULATION: JOURNAL ARTICLES

AMBIENT PARTICULATE MATTER BURDEN OF DISEASE IN THE KINGDOM OF

SAUDI ARABIA
Ambient particulate matter is the fifth health risk factor in Saudi Arabia, contributing 9% of total mortality. Over the past
27 years, estimated exposure levels of PM2.5 in Saudi Arabia have been above WHO’s air quality guidelines. Although since
2011 mortality and DALY rates attributable to PM2.5 have decreased, air pollution concentrations continue to increase.
National and local authorities in Saudi Arabia should consider policies to reduce industrial and traffic-related air pollution in
combination with the strengthening of current investments and improvements in health care and prevention services.
Published by Environmental Research, June 2021
[Link]

A NEEDS-BASED METHODOLOGY TO PROJECT PHYSICIANS AND NURSES TO 2030:

THE CASE OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
To help with the workforce planning, a joint Saudi Public Health Council and the World Bank team of authors developed a
new needs-based methodology for workforce planning, taking into consideration the health needs of the KSA population,
cost-effective treatment service delivery models, and worker productivity.
Published by Human Resources for Health, April 2021
[Link]

COVID-19 AND NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES: EVIDENCE FROM A SYSTEMATIC

LITERATURE REVIEW
The article has been jointly produced by the WB staff and Saudi Public Health Authority officials. The objective of this
literature review is to systematize the available evidence on the link between non-communicable diseases and Covid-19.
Published by BMC Public Health, June 2021
[Link]

THE IMPACT OF SEVEN MAJOR NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES ON DIRECT MEDICAL

COSTS, ABSENTEEISM, AND PRESENTEEISM IN GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL
COUNTRIES
The article’s authors included WB staff and well as officials from Kuwait Secretariat General for Development Planning, Saudi
Public Health Authority, Qatar Ministry of Public Health, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh, UAE
Ministry of Health and Prevention, and Bahrain Supreme Council of Health. The article estimated the current burden of
seven major noncommunicable diseases on direct medical costs, absenteeism, and presenteeism in the six countries in the
Gulf Cooperation Council: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Published by Journal of Medical Economics, July 2021
[Link]

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 13

HEALTH, NUTRITION AND POPULATION: JOURNAL ARTICLES

PROJECTING HEALTH LABOR MARKET DYNAMICS FOR A HEALTH SYSTEM IN

TRANSITION: PLANNING FOR A RESILIENT HEALTH WORKFORCE IN SAUDI ARABIA
Building an effective and efficient health system requires proactive planning for the health workers who are essential to its
functioning. The article projects health labor market supply and demand through 2030, evaluates potential shortages and
surpluses, and analyses different policy scenarios.
Published by Globalization and Health, September 2021
[Link]

ESTIMATING THE EFFECT OF NON-PHARMACEUTICAL INTERVENTIONS TO MITIGATE

COVID-19 SPREAD IN SAUDI ARABIA
The aim of this joint study conducted by the World Bank, Saudi Ministry of Health and Public Health Authority was to
evaluate the effect of NPIs on the spread of the COVID-19 and test strategies to open schools and resume international
travel.
Published by BMC Medicine, February 2022
[Link]

THE ECONOMIC BURDEN OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY IN SAUDI ARABIA

The objective of this study was to provide estimates of direct and indirect costs using the best available data from within the
country. This limitation required us to use an epidemiological approach and to limit the analysis to costs resulting from six
major NCDs. Using these diseases, the team of authors from the World Bank and Saudi Ministry of Health and other Saudi
health organizations quantified (1) direct medical costs, including the cost of hospitalizations, outpatient visits, emergency
department visits, general practitioner visits, and prescription drugs; and (2) indirect costs arising from absenteeism and
presenteeism only.
Published by PLOS One, March 2022
[Link]

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE-BASED INCENTIVES FOR HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN

ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT MEMBER
COUNTRIES: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW
This study reviews the current evidence on effectiveness of individual-level performance-based incentives for health care
in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, which are relatively well situated to implement,
monitor and evaluate performance-based incentives programs. Joint study by the WB and Saudi Health Council delineates
the conditions under which sanctions or rewards - in the context of gain-seeking, loss aversion, and increased social pressure
to modify behaviors - may be more effective.
Published by Health Policy, June 2022
[Link]

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 14

HEALTH, NUTRITION AND POPULATION: JOURNAL ARTICLES

IMPACT OF NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES ON DIRECT MEDICAL COSTS AND WORKER

PRODUCTIVITY, SAUDI ARABIA
This joint study by the WB and Saudi Public Health Authority aimed to estimate the effect of NCDs on direct medical costs
and workforce productivity in Saudi Arabia. The study found a substantial economic burden of NCDs, particularly on worker
productivity.
Published by East Mediterranean Health Journal, April 2022
[Link]

EFFECT OF NON-PHARMACEUTICAL INTERVENTIONS IN THE EARLY PHASE OF THE

COVID-19 EPIDEMIC IN SAUDI ARABIA
Non-pharmaceutical interventions have been widely employed to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Their associated effect
on SARS-CoV-2 transmission have however been unequally studied across regions. This study focused on the association
between NPIs and SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the first pandemic wave between March
and October 2020.
Published by PLOS Global Public Health, May 2022
[Link]

EFFECTIVENESS OF USING E-GOVERNMENT PLATFORM “ABSHER” AS A TOOL FOR

NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES SURVEY IN SAUDI ARABIA 2019-2020: A CROSS-
SECTIONAL STUDY
This article assesses the potential of using and e-government platform (Saudi Absher) to administer web-based health
surveys. All Absher users were invited to participate in a web-based survey to estimate the prevalence of noncommunicable
diseases and their risk factors in Saudi Arabia. The study concluded that with improvements in the design, the use of
e-government platforms can provide a useful and potentially low-cost data source for public health research.
Published by Frontiers in Public Health, September 2022
[Link]

NATIONAL MEDICINES POLICY DEVELOPMENT, SAUDI ARABIA

The article describes important components of the national medicines policy in Saudi Arabia, which was developed within
a broader transformation of the health system and the economy. The new policy formalizes existing best practices, shapes
emerging policies and sets a direction for future development in four main areas.
Published by Bulletin of World Health Organization, August 2022
[Link]

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 15

HEALTH, NUTRITION AND POPULATION: JOURNAL ARTICLES

EFFECTIVE OPTIONS FOR ADDRESSING AIR QUALITY– RELATED ENVIRONMENTAL

PUBLIC HEALTH BURDENS IN SAUDI ARABIA
Air pollution poses major disease burdens globally and accounts for approximately 10% of deaths annually through its
contribution to a variety of respiratory, cardiovascular, and other diseases. The burden of disease is particularly acute in
Saudi Arabia, where a mix of anthropogenic and natural sources of air pollution threatens public health. Addressing these
burdens requires careful study of the costs and effectiveness of available technologies and policies for reducing emissions
(mitigation) and avoiding exposure (adaptation). To help evaluate these options, World Bank and Saudi Public Health
Authority staff conducted a literature review of over 3,000 articles published since 2010 and identified a wide variety of
effective mitigation and adaptation.
Published in Heliyon, September 2022
[Link]

MAKING USE OF AN APP (TAWAKKALNA) TO TRACK AND REDUCE COVID

TRANSMISSION IN KSA
At the beginning of 2021, the KSA Government introduced a mandatory immunity passport to regulate access to public
venues. The passport was part of the strategy of resuming public activities before reaching high vaccination coverage. The
passport was implemented as a new service in the Tawakkalna mobile phone application (App). This study aimed to evaluate
the effectiveness of the immunity passport, implemented through the Tawakkalna App, on SARS-CoV-2 spread.
Published by medRxiv, October 2022
[Link]

RESPONSIVENESS OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA:

EVIDENCE FROM A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE SURVEY
This article presents data from the Saudi Health Systems Responsiveness survey – a nationally representative survey of
10,000 households interviewed in 2017. Using this dataset, WB and Saudi Health Council staff descriptively analyzed
the level of responsiveness of inpatient and outpatient services (using the standard World Health Organization (WHO)
responsiveness dimensions). Based on a logit modelling approach, the relationship between responsiveness and its key
determinants was analyzed in terms of healthcare demand and supply.
Published by BMC Health Services Research, December 2022
[Link]

A SCOPING REVIEW ON THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON PHYSICAL

ACTIVITY AND SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR IN SAUDI ARABIA
A review of the literature on physical activity and sedentary behavior in Saudi Arabia associated with the timing of the
lockdown allowed the authors to conclude that in the short term, physical activity decreased and sedentary behavior
increased in conjunction with the movement restrictions. It would be important to continue tracking behaviors post-
lockdown and identify subpopulations that may not have returned to their physical activity of pre-pandemic levels to focus
on intervention efforts.
Published by BMC Public Health, March 2023
[Link]

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 16

PUBLIC POLICIES TO INCREASE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND REDUCE SEDENTARY
BEHAVIOR: A NARRATIVE SYNTHESIS OF “REVIEWS OF REVIEWS”
The purpose of this article is to present the results of a narrative synthesis to identify public policies that may be effective in
increasing physical activity and/or reducing sedentary behavior. A novel strategy – narrative synthesis of ‘reviews of reviews’
– has been employed by authors to synthesize large amount of information published on the subject since January 1, 2000.
Published by Global Health Action, April 2023
[Link]

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 17

 HUMAN CAPITAL SOCIAL PROTECTION AND JOBS
AND GENDER
THE LONG SHADOW OF SHORT-TERM SCHOOLING DISRUPTION
EQUITABLE ANALYSIS OF KUWAIT’S CIVIL SERVICE PAYROLL DATA
GROWTH, FINANCE
This report published in the Policy Research Working Paper series
AND INSTITUTIONS
estimates the long-term impacts of schooling disruptions on private
returns to schooling in Kuwait. It applies an instrumental variables
EDUCATION approach to estimate the private returns to schooling, using unique
civil service payroll data, with Kuwaiti students’ exposure to the
Gulf War (1990–91) as the instrument. The Gulf War is a suitable
HEALTH, NUTRITION instrument because it profoundly affected Kuwaiti students’
AND POPULATION: schooling at the time and is unlikely to be correlated with many
REPORTS AND potentially problematic omitted variables, such as students’ ability.
DISCUSSION PAPERS The analysis finds that (i) people who were of schooling age during
the Gulf War tend to have lower educational attainment than
people who were of schooling age after the Gulf War; (ii) men who
HEALTH, NUTRITION were of schooling age at the time of the Gulf War earn on average
AND POPULATION: 5.6 percent less for each year of schooling lost, and women earn
JOURNAL ARTICLES correspondingly 6.8 percent less for each year of schooling lost;
(iii) students who were in lower grades during the Gulf War tend to
suffer a greater percentage wage loss for each year of lost schooling.
SOCIAL
Published April 2021
PROTECTION
AND JOBS [Link]
handle/10986/35517/The-Long-Shadow-of-Short-Term-Schooling-
Disruption-Analysis-of-Kuwaits-Civil-Service-Payroll-Data.
SUSTAINABLE pdf?sequence=1
DEVELOPMENT AND
INFRASTRUCTURE
TRACING LABOR MARKET OUTCOMES OF TECHNICAL AND
VOCATIONAL TRAINING GRADUATES IN SAUDI ARABIA: A STUDY ON
GRADUATES FROM THE TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING
CORPORATION (TVTC)
This paper exploits a rich dataset from various administrative
sources to study short- and medium-term labor market outcomes
of vocational education and training graduates in Saudi Arabia. It
examines five cohorts of graduates from institutes operated by the
Technical and Vocational Training Corporation who are formally
employed in the private sector. The outcome measures for the study
are based on monthly earnings data from the private sector social
insurance records covering up to five years after graduation for
the first cohort. The analysis finds positive returns to technical and

Continued

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 18

SOCIAL PROTECTION AND JOBS

vocational education are sustained over time. The analysis identifies several challenges and
opportunities to further improve outcomes of graduates.
Published January 2022
[Link]
3acf89929c2a/content

SCHOOL IS CLOSED: SIMULATING THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF THE COVID-19

PANDEMIC-RELATED SCHOOL DISRUPTIONS IN KUWAIT
The schooling disruption caused by COVID-19 in Kuwait is among the longest in the world.
Using the similarities between the schooling disruptions due to the Gulf War and the schooling
disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this Policy Research Working Paper shows that
students in school during the COVID-19 pandemic face significant reductions in the present
value of their lifetime income. Furthermore, the findings show that students in higher grades
during the pandemic are likely to face larger reductions in lifetime earnings than students in
lower grades.
Published May 2022
[Link]
[Link]?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

TOWARDS A NATIONAL JOBS STRATEGY IN KUWAIT

This report is one of the main deliverables outlined in the legal arrangement of September 10,
2019, between the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development
(GS-SCPD) in Kuwait and the World Bank. The government has asked The World Bank for
assistance to formulate a National Jobs Strategy to help confront these challenges, based on
evidence and best practices. Reforms are recommended in four areas, or pillars: (i) make the
public sector more sustainable, (ii) improve human capital, (iii) support private sector growth,
and (iv) build a social protection system. In addition, the jobs strategy covers two cross-cutting
themes: behavioral economics, and monitoring and evaluation, also embedded in the four
pillars. A separate overview report is also available.
Published October 2022
[Link]

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 19

 HUMAN CAPITAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND
AND GENDER
INFRASTRUCTURE
EQUITABLE
GROWTH, FINANCE METROPOLITAN DAMMAM: CITY OF MEGA-PROJECTS
AND INSTITUTIONS
The main objective of this report is to understand how a variety
of developing and emerging economies are successfully utilizing
EDUCATION horizontal integration—across multiple infrastructure sectors and
systems—at the metropolitan scale to deliver greater sustainability.
This report explores how integrated planning processes extending
HEALTH, NUTRITION well beyond city boundaries have been financed and implemented
AND POPULATION: in a diverse group of metropolitan areas. From this analysis, the
REPORTS AND report derives models, poses guiding questions, and presents three
DISCUSSION PAPERS key principles to provoke and inspire action by cities around the
world.
[Link]
HEALTH, NUTRITION
AND POPULATION: Published November 2020
JOURNAL ARTICLES
ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE OF THE WATER-ENERGY NEXUS IN THE
SOCIAL GCC COUNTRIES
PROTECTION Countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region are facing
AND JOBS many challenges due to climate change’s effects on already-
scarce water supplies. Energy resources and the energy sector
are heavily tied to the water sector as desalination and other
SUSTAINABLE
provision capacities are fueled by oil. This report focuses on these
DEVELOPMENT AND
challenges and what opportunities there are for GCC countries to
INFRASTRUCTURE better manage their water and energy sectors. The report highlights
potential pathways for improvement, such as addressing subsidies
and pricing to discourage waste, increasing re-use of treated
wastewater, and scaling up renewable energy use. Building on
innovations already underway in the region, the report showcases a
real opportunity to make changes in the sector for more efficient use
of water and energy, which in turn promises to have positive effects
on climate, jobs, and fiscal sustainability.
Published November 2022
[Link]
knowledge-of-the-water-energy-nexus-in-the-gcc-countries

GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRY PROGRAM | FY20-23 PUBLICATIONS 20