The Middle East Health

Development of the health care sector remains a priority for Kuwait, with the government recently signing two agreements with foreign educational institutions that aim to improve training for the country’s medical professionals. While the goal of this type of international collaboration is to enhance the skills of local physicians who work at state-run facilities, the government is also taking steps to create private investment opportunities in health care.

The focus of Dubai’s health care sector is set to undergo a major shift, with greater emphasis to be placed on prevention rather than treatment, a policy that aims both to better meet the changing needs of the community and also rein in an expanding health budget.

The public and private sectors of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) are combining to combat one of the greatest health problems facing the emirate – diabetes – with both the cause and the effects of the illness being targeted. According to data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), more than 32.5m people in the Middle East have developed diabetes, a figure the organisation says will jump by 80% by 2030.

As the Middle East and North Africa’s top health tourism destination, according to the World Bank, Jordan and its medical tourism sector are looking for ways to regain their competitive edge after regional unrest in 2011 impacted revenues. To confront declining medical tourist numbers, Jordan will host two major international health expos in 2012 and will also be promoting its Dead Sea region.

Increased levels of public-private cooperation are likely to bring high-tech solutions and better practices to Oman’s health care sector, particularly with regard to increasing ethical standards and monitoring insurance providers.

On April 3, 2011, Qatar officially launched the National Health Strategy (NHS) 2011-16, the government’s plan to upgrade and improve the country’s health care sector. Based on principles originally outlined in National Vision 2030, Qatar’s long-term development programme, the NHS has the potential to bring about substantial changes to the sector.