Healthcare Overview
Healthcare systems across the GCC have been transformed by sustained investment, but significant variation exists in capacity, outcomes, and efficiency. The region faces shared challenges including non-communicable disease burden, healthcare workforce nationalisation, and the transition from curative to preventive models.
Health Spending
| Country | Health Spending (% of GDP) | Per Capita Health Spending (USD) | Public Share (%) | Private Share (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAE | 5.4 | 2,898 | 64 | 36 |
| Saudi Arabia | 6.4 | 1,946 | 76 | 24 |
| Qatar | 3.8 | 3,092 | 72 | 28 |
| Kuwait | 5.2 | 1,882 | 82 | 18 |
| Bahrain | 4.6 | 1,372 | 62 | 38 |
| Oman | 4.8 | 1,022 | 78 | 22 |
Hospital Infrastructure
| Country | Hospital Beds per 1,000 | ICU Beds per 100,000 | Hospitals (total) | JCI-Accredited Facilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAE | 1.9 | 14.2 | 186 | 92 |
| Saudi Arabia | 2.2 | 11.8 | 498 | 64 |
| Qatar | 1.3 | 16.4 | 14 | 8 |
| Kuwait | 2.0 | 10.6 | 36 | 12 |
| Bahrain | 1.8 | 12.4 | 18 | 6 |
| Oman | 1.5 | 8.2 | 78 | 4 |
Healthcare Workforce
| Country | Physicians per 1,000 | Nurses per 1,000 | National Healthcare Workers (%) | Medical Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAE | 2.6 | 5.8 | 6 | 8 |
| Saudi Arabia | 2.8 | 5.6 | 32 | 28 |
| Qatar | 2.4 | 7.2 | 4 | 3 |
| Kuwait | 2.6 | 5.4 | 18 | 2 |
| Bahrain | 2.0 | 4.8 | 22 | 2 |
| Oman | 1.8 | 4.2 | 42 | 2 |
Health Outcomes
| Country | Life Expectancy (years) | Infant Mortality (per 1,000) | Diabetes Prevalence (%) | HAQ Index (0-100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAE | 78.4 | 5.2 | 16.4 | 74 |
| Saudi Arabia | 76.8 | 6.4 | 18.2 | 68 |
| Qatar | 80.2 | 4.8 | 14.8 | 76 |
| Kuwait | 76.2 | 7.2 | 22.4 | 66 |
| Bahrain | 77.8 | 5.6 | 16.8 | 70 |
| Oman | 77.2 | 8.4 | 14.2 | 64 |
Relative Positioning Analysis
The UAE operates the most internationally accredited healthcare system in the GCC, with 92 JCI-accredited facilities, more than all other Gulf states combined. This accreditation density reflects a deliberate strategy to position the UAE as a regional medical tourism destination and to assure quality standards across a predominantly private-sector delivery model.
Qatar leads on per capita spending and achieves the highest life expectancy and HAQ Index score in the region, benefiting from a small population and concentrated investment. Saudi Arabia’s healthcare system is the largest by scale, with 498 hospitals, but faces significant efficiency challenges in translating spending into outcomes.
Trend Analysis
The shared challenge across the GCC is non-communicable disease prevalence, particularly diabetes and obesity. Kuwait records the highest diabetes prevalence at 22.4 percent, but all GCC states exceed global averages. Healthcare workforce nationalisation remains a critical challenge, with the UAE having the lowest proportion of national healthcare workers at 6 percent. Oman has achieved the highest nationalisation rate at 42 percent, driven by early investment in medical education.
Strategic Implications
The UAE’s healthcare strategy should prioritise three areas. First, addressing the non-communicable disease burden through preventive healthcare investment and regulatory interventions. Second, developing the national healthcare workforce through expanded medical education capacity and training pathways. Third, leveraging the accreditation advantage to build a sustainable medical tourism sector that generates export revenue while maintaining domestic service quality.