Health

The government is increasingly focused on preventative care as Oman’s health care budget almost doubled for 2014, reaching $3.34bn. Rising rates of obesity and diabetes are among the chief challenges facing the sector as lifestyle changes bring rates for obesity in line with developed Western countries. While government spending accounts for about 78.7% of total health expenditure in the country, the private sector is expected to play an increasingly prominent role moving forward. The number of private hospitals in the sultanate has quadrupled in the last decade, going from three in 2004 to 12 in 2013, and as rapid population growth and cases of bed shortages continue, numerous investment opportunities are being presented in the private health care segment.