Saudi King Salman Hospitalized: Health Concerns and Leadership Dynamics
Watan-The name of the Saudi monarch, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, topped social media and Google search engines today, Wednesday, following the announcement by the Saudi Royal Diwan of the King’s admission to the hospital.
The Royal Diwan announced that King Salman bin Abdulaziz entered King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Jeddah today for routine tests for a few hours.
The Diwan did not mention any other details or clarification about the health status of King Abdulaziz (88 years old), nor did it disclose the nature of these announced tests or their reason.
The aging monarch has been suffering from a series of serious illnesses for some time due to his advancing age, to the extent that he lives with a “heart pacemaker.” In March of 2022, he also entered King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh to replace this pacemaker.
بيان من الديوان الملكي :
خادم الحرمين الشريفين دخل مستشفى الملك فيصل التخصصي بجدة لإجراء فحوصات روتينية لبضع ساعات.#واس pic.twitter.com/JjH6MTkYkf— واس الأخبار الملكية (@spagov) April 24, 2024
In July of 2020, the Saudi Royal Diwan announced the transfer of King Salman bin Abdulaziz to the hospital after he suffered from gallbladder inflammation.
In addition to age-related illnesses, King Salman also suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, which he has been experiencing for years, with his diagnosis being kept secret.
It is worth mentioning that it is rare for Saudi authorities to publish statements regarding the health status of King Salman, who has been ruling for about 9 years.
Salman ascended to the throne of the Kingdom following the death of his brother, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, in 2015, yet the actual ruler known in Saudi Arabia is his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who controls everything.
نسأل الله باسمه الأعظم ذو الجلال والإكرام الحي القيوم أن يشافي ويعافي مليكنا وقائدنا #خادم_الحرمين_الشريفين #الملك_سلمان_بن_عبدالعزيز وأن يُلبسه لباس الصحّة والعافية،
المجد عوفي إذ عوفيت والكرمُ
وزال عنك إلى أعدائك الألمُ🌺
وما أخصك في برء بتهنئةٍ
إذا سلمت فكل الناس قد سلموا🌺… https://t.co/fT89sBNGwZ pic.twitter.com/lIxRGAFe0s— د. عائض القرني (@Dr_alqarnee) April 24, 2024
However, in 2017, the Kingdom denied that the King was about to abdicate in favor of his young son, Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince whose role as the de facto ruler of the country has been confirmed.
A Saudi official told Bloomberg at the time, “There is absolutely no possibility that King Salman will abdicate… Saudi kings usually remain in power even when their health prevents them from performing their duties.”
After the Diwan’s announcement of King Salman’s hospitalization, hashtags bearing his name topped social media platforms in the Kingdom.
King Salman and Alzheimer’s
It has been previously revealed by prominent Saudi academic and opposition figure Dr. Saad al-Faqih concerning the serious health condition of King Salman bin Abdulaziz.
فيديو | #الديوان_الملكي: نجاح عملية جراحية بالمنظار لـ #الملك_سلمان لاستئصال المرارة وسيمضي بعض الوقت في المستشفى حسب الخطة العلاجية#الإخبارية pic.twitter.com/UziRDpV5wx
— قناة الإخبارية (@alekhbariyatv) July 23, 2020
Al-Faqih stated in a recorded speech in March 2021 that King Salman bin Abdulaziz is not only marginalized but also unaware of what is happening in the Kingdom. He added, “He began to suffer from Alzheimer’s since 2013 and reached the point of no return in 2016 or 2017.”
The Saudi opposition figure, residing in Britain, added, “King Salman can no longer comprehend what is happening, and his short-term memory does not exceed a few minutes.”
