The GCC healthcare sector is poised for strong growth: An outlook

The GCC healthcare sector is poised for strong growth: An outlook

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The heightened focus on the healthcare sector following COVID-19 pandemic led to transformative changes in the industry with the convergence of medical innovations and disruptive technologies.

Responding to the unprecedented demands during the pandemic placed enormous pressure on the healthcare sector worldwide and was a sharp learning curve for all countries including the UAE and other member nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

In the years since, the rise of automation and precision medicine, consolidation of key players, government reforms, and a spurt of infrastructural developments have seen the GCC experience a more rapid and extensive healthcare transformation than other regions. While the pandemic became a catalyst for change and paved the way for exciting growth opportunities, a combination of several other interrelated factors has positioned the GCC healthcare sector for continued expansion at a healthy pace.

Maturing insurance sector

Mandatory health insurance regulations have driven the growth of the healthcare sector across the region, with major implications on how healthcare is funded and delivered. The Council of Cooperative Health Insurance (CCHI) in KSA aims to cover up to 50 per cent of the population with an insurance scheme by 2030, acting as a major driver of the healthcare