Integrating Traditional and Complementary Medicine into Saudi Primary Care: A Literature Review in Light of the WHO 2025–2034 Strategy

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widely practiced in Saudi Arabia, particularly for health promotion and chronic diseases management. Despite cultural acceptance and high utilization, CAM remains largely unintegrated within the formal healthcare system, particularly in primary care settings. The newly adopted World Health Organization (WHO) Traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) Strategy 2025-2034 offers a global framework for evidence-based, culturally appropriate integration of TCIM into national systems. This review evaluates the status of CAM in Saudi Arabia in light of strategic objectives outlined in the WHO Strategy: building the evidence base, ensuring quality and safety, integrating into health systems, and promoting cross-sectoral engagement. While regulatory foundations have been established through the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), challenges persist in clinical integration, research, and training. Aligning CAM with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 health reforms-particularly through primary care-presents a timely opportunity for strategic integration to enhance patients-centered care.