The Pros and Cons of Privatising Gulf Healthcare

Private sector healthcare provision is increasingly prevalent in the GCC, easing the cost burden on the state. But governments cannot rely on private companies to provide for all their healthcare needs.

From the 1,171-bed Al-Jahra Hospital, which is close to completion in Kuwait City, to the planned 700-bed New Sultan Qaboos Hospital in Salalah, Oman at the opposite end of the GCC, huge sums are being poured into Gulf hospitals to improve service provision.

Healthcare is often one of the biggest items in any Gulf government’s budget. Riyadh, for example, has earmarked $39.2 billion for health and social development this year, the third largest part of its budget after defence and education. Read more…

Author: Hanu Tyagi, Analyst, Max Institute of Healthcare Management at ISB.

Source: This article is extracted from Forbes Middle East dated March 23, 2018.