Muscat: The health sector in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has seen significant expansion, reflecting government investment and the development of health infrastructure in recent years.
Data from the GCC Statistics Center shows clear growth in health facilities and services provided to all strata of society.
By the end of 2024, the total number of hospitals will reach approximately 882, an increase of 176 hospitals between 2014 and 2024 through public and private investments.
According to a report published by the GCC Statistics Center, the total number of hospital beds reached 127,600, with government-owned beds accounting for 73% of that total.
Additionally, the total number of government health centers and complexes reached approximately 3,400 facilities in 2023. This reflects the expansion of primary and specialty care services and their geographic distribution to meet the needs of the population.
The number of hospital beds recorded a significant increase, increasing to 124,900 beds in 2022 compared to 111,200 beds in 2018, corresponding to a compound annual growth rate of 2.4%.
Health workers remain the cornerstone of a sustainable health system. Nursing staff accounted for the largest share at 39.3%, while 57.5% of healthcare workers were concentrated in government facilities.
The private sector has recorded a higher growth rate in the number of doctors, nurses and pharmacists than the government sector, and is above the global average for the indicator number of health workers per 10,000 population.
The total number of healthcare workers reached 1.05 million professionals, with an annual growth rate of 6.8%. Between 2019 and 2024, the number of doctors reached approximately 203,100 and the number of pharmacists reached approximately 78,700. The largest category is nursing personnel, with approximately 411,900 nursing personnel.
Private hospitals accounted for 42% of the total number of hospitals and recorded faster growth compared to public hospitals. The average number of hospital beds has reached 20.8 per 10,000 people, which is higher than the world average, and the bed capacity of private hospitals is increasing at a faster pace than public hospitals.
The index also shows an increase in outpatient visits, surgeries, diagnostic tests, and hospitalizations, reflecting increased demand for and improved access to health services. Expansion of hospitals and health facilities continues in most GCC countries, with some states experiencing the highest annual increases in capacity.
The digital health sector is also rapidly growing with the introduction of emerging technologies such as electronic medical records, telemedicine, artificial intelligence, big data analytics, wearable devices, and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). These advances will help improve service efficiency, improve quality of care, and strengthen our ability to respond to health emergencies.
According to forecasts, the digital health market will continue to grow, with revenue expected to reach USD 1.83 billion in 2025 and total healthcare spending expected to reach USD 159 billion by 2029, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.8%.
Health policies in the GCC countries are aligned with long-term national visions and focus on the financial sustainability of health systems, improving the quality and efficiency of services, strengthening public-private partnerships, nationalizing health professionals, driving digital transformation, and fostering health innovation. International indicators show that GCC countries are making measurable progress in social progress, global prosperity, human development and life expectancy.
Taken together, these indicators demonstrate the integrated development of the GCC health system in terms of infrastructure, human resources and service delivery, strengthening the capacity of the health system to cope with population growth and future challenges, and reaffirming continued investment in the health sector as a key pillar of human development and sustainability across the GCC countries.
