RIYADH: The Kingdom’s first health crisis and disaster management center is now officially accredited with the World Health Organization in the Eastern Mediterranean region, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, Saudi health minister, announced the accreditation of the National Health Emergency Operation Center in Saudi Arabia, aligned with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 third strategic objective to reduce health risks. The center’s role is to respond and prevent crises and disasters before they occur. It serves as the operations and control center for the implementation of prevention programs across the Kingdom. The center is to facilitate government communication to 20 other centers across the Kingdom. Over the past two years, the center has sent more than 12,000 alert messages, issued more than 1,000 reports, supervised more than 1,100 various exercises at different levels, created more than 20 data models and more than 25 specialized analytical panels, and implemented several programs. The ongoing training has increased the number of beneficiaries to more than 250 in the field of health crises and disasters at advanced and specialized levels and with various health and administrative cadres and specializations.