Saudi Arabia's Undiagnosed Health Gap, and How Contactless Screening Can Close It
In Saudi Arabia, more than half of adults with high blood pressure and over 40% of adults with diabetes have never been diagnosed. These figures come from national survey data reviewed by Midhet and colleagues (Int J Health Sci). The conditions are common, silent and treatable. The gap is in finding people early enough.
How many Saudis have undiagnosed hypertension and diabetes?
| Condition | Prevalence, men | Prevalence, women | Undiagnosed, men | Undiagnosed, women |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hypertension | 17.7% | 12.5% | 61.2% | 52.9% |
| Diabetes | 14.8% | 11.7% | 40.2% | 48.4% |
Source: Saudi Health Interview Survey data, summarised in Midhet et al.
Rates climb sharply with age. Among adults aged 55 to 64, nearly half have hypertension and roughly half have diabetes (same source). In Riyadh specifically, the Riyadh Cohort study put age-adjusted hypertension prevalence at 32.6% (Al-Daghri et al.).
The wider GCC faces the same pattern. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar all rank among the world’s ten highest countries for diabetes prevalence (Dove Medical Press).
Why do so many cases go undiagnosed?
The researchers point to a failure of screening at the primary care level, not a lack of hospitals. Saudi Arabia runs more than 2,300 primary health care centres, but people only visit them when they feel unwell. Hypertension and early type 2 diabetes rarely cause symptoms.
Common barriers:
- No symptoms, no visit. People don’t book a check-up when they feel fine.
- Time. A clinic visit for a routine check can take half a day.
- Equipment. Screening at scale needs cuffs, glucometers and staff at every site.
- Follow-up. One reading is a snapshot. Trends need regular measurement.
How can contactless screening help?
Contactless screening brings the first check to where people already are: their phone, their workplace, a pharmacy or a mall kiosk. A camera-based scan using rPPG takes under a minute and needs no trained operator.
It works as a first filter, not a diagnosis:
- A person scans their face on a phone, kiosk or smart mirror.
- The platform reads heart rate, breathing rate, heart rate variability and a blood pressure estimate.
- Results outside healthy ranges trigger a recommendation to see a clinician.
- A doctor confirms with a standard cuff or blood test and starts care.
- Repeat scans track the trend over weeks and months.
Because step 1 is free and fast, many more people reach step 4. That is the gap the national data describes.
Camera-based blood pressure is still maturing, so Welltra treats it as a screening indicator rather than a diagnostic value. Multimodal screening helps here. Welltra pairs rPPG with AI-guided urinalysis, which can flag markers such as glucose in urine that warrant a diabetes test.
How does this fit Saudi Vision 2030?
The Health Sector Transformation Program under Vision 2030 shifts the system from treatment toward prevention, with a goal of earlier detection of chronic disease. Digital, scalable screening is one of the few tools that can reach millions of people without building new clinics.
FAQ
What percentage of Saudis have high blood pressure? National survey data show 17.7% of men and 12.5% of women, rising to nearly half of adults aged 55 to 64.
Can a phone camera detect diabetes? No, not on its own. A camera scan reads cardiovascular signals. Welltra adds AI-guided urinalysis, which can flag markers that suggest a blood test is needed.
Where can I get a free health screening in Saudi Arabia? Primary health care centres run by the Ministry of Health offer screening. Digital tools like Welltra let you run a first check at home in 40 seconds.
How often should adults in Saudi Arabia check their blood pressure? At least once a year from age 18, and more often if you are over 40, overweight or have a family history. Follow your doctor’s advice.
Welltra provides wellness indicators and is not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis.
