With the tremendous healthcare momentum that is already underway in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, driven by economic diversification and transformation, the future of healthcare in the region looks bright.

Government initiatives such as Saudi Arabia’s Health Sector Transformation Program, a vital component of the country’s economic and social reform roadmap, Vision 2030, coupled with the region’s surge in population and life expectancy and the rising momentum of the private sector have contributed to unprecedented expansion in the GCC healthcare sector.

Not only has the number of hospitals in the region almost doubled in recent years, but the GCC countries are looking beyond basic facilities to specialised centres of excellence, world-class medical tourism institutes and digital medicine solutions.

Having overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, both government and private sector players in the GCC aim to strengthen and advance their healthcare systems and have become more focused on healthcare provision and delivery than ever before. Despite challenges such as talent retention and an oversupply of hospitals, the region is on the verge of taking on a more prominent global role with two major markets standing out from the rest: Saudi Arabia, the largest in the MENA region, and the United Arab Emirates.

Focusing on infrastructure and delivery through in-depth interviews with key stakeholders across the GCC region, including government authorities, local trade organisations and industry executives, this report offers a comprehensive overview of the future of healthcare in the GCC.