Saudi Red Crescent Authority

The Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) is one of the governmental authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was established in 1934 and went through four developmental stages. It started as a community association, then became a charitable rescue association, then a Red Crescent society, and finally evolved to its current name, the Saudi Red Crescent Authority, in 2008. The authority provides urgent and rapid emergency medical services to citizens and residents in the Kingdom under normal circumstances and during disasters. It also contributes to raising health awareness levels.

According to statistics from 2021, the Saudi Red Crescent Authority encompassed 505 ambulance centers and more than 1,400 ambulance vehicles across the Kingdom. It has provided 778,791 ambulance services to the injured in the same year.

The authority's tasks include providing urgent necessary first aid to victims of accidents, disasters, and general calamities. It also offers health services and medical assistance to the pilgrims of the Grand Mosque and looks after their health in cooperation with the specialized departments.

The activities of the Saudi Red Crescent Authority cover all regions of the Kingdom. The authority's system is based on the Geneva Conventions and the principles approved by the International Red Crescent and Red Cross Conferences. It also participates in relief operations both inside and outside the Kingdom, emphasizing its humanitarian role and solidifying its relationship with the public and related entities both locally and globally.

The authority achieved second place in the Middle East and North Africa in training community members on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for the year 2019, according to the American Heart Association.

The primary objective of the authority is to alleviate human suffering and distress, without discrimination or differential treatment for any reason. It operates both in times of peace and war, acting as an assistant to medical departments in the Saudi military sectors. This cooperation and integration are geared towards the benefit of all war victims, both civilians and military personnel, as stipulated in the Geneva Agreements. The authority is particularly involved in transporting the injured and sick, establishing hospitals in locations determined by military commands, preparing transport means, assisting war victims and prisoners, and mediating the exchange of their personal correspondences, whether within the Kingdom or abroad.

In 2023, the Saudi Red Crescent Authority participated in the Hajj and Umrah Services Conference and Exhibition 'Hajj Expo' with its latest four-wheel-drive ambulances. These vehicles are equipped with the most advanced specifications and tools used in cutting-edge ambulances. They also feature the advanced systems utilized in the Red Crescent operation rooms. The authority showcased these new vehicles to the visitors, including the Tuwaiq bus, specifically designed to transport multiple casualties with a capacity of ten injuries.

The Saudi Red Crescent Authority offers five programs to serve the community and enhance health services quality: Little Paramedic, First Responder, Medical Relay, Family Link, and Life Ambassador programs.