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Conference News |Dubai |
Staff Reporter | Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Healthcare spending in GCC countries expected to
reach US$60 billion annually by 2025
(Dubai Health & News)
New models of private and public sector collaboration in healthcare are
emerging in the Arabian Gulf as the region grapples with the challenge
of unprecedented growth, according to industry experts.
"Total healthcare spending in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
countries is forecast to reach $60 billion annually by 2025 - a fivefold
increase over current spending," said Omar Moawiyah Al Shunnar,
Executive Director of the Emaar Healthcare Group.
He was speaking at the Global Healthcare Marketing conference - one of
18 internationally accredited conferences making up the Arab Health
Congress taking place at the Dubai International Convention and
Exhibition Centre until 31 January 2008.
At a parallel conference - the Healthcare Management Forum - Dinah
Rowe-Roberts, Director of Healthcare Advisory Services for
PricewaterHouseCoopers, said, "huge opportunities" were
emerging for the private sector to help the region grapple with the
challenges brought on by a rapidly growing population, projected to
double by 2025.
With the fivefold increase in regional healthcare spending, the priority
was not only to "temper the costs but also to provide access to
safe, quality care," said Al Shunnar. "The importance of
public-private partnerships in healthcare is also being emphasised,"
he added. The Emaar Healthcare Group has plans to develop and manage
more than 100 hospitals in the Middle East and North Africa as well as
the Indian subcontinent and South East Asia over the next ten years.
"New models of public-private partnerships were emerging in the GCC
as individual governments reassessed their roles in healthcare as
regulators, commissioners and providers," said Rowe-Roberts, who
has been involved in financing transactions with healthcare providers in
the private and public sector.
"Governments need to issue clear signals of their capacity
requirements in the coming years to enable a private sector response,
she added, as well as design a regulatory regime and address the issue
of funding." This was particularly important for preventive
medicine, wellness programmes and disease management, for example, where
there was little incentive for the private sector.
Gulf governments are designing new healthcare packages with most
planning to provide them free to all nationals. However, the GCC is also
requesting companies to finance basic healthcare provision through
insurance for their expat workers and their dependants who account for
40% to 80% of the member-state populations.
Supported by the UAE Ministry of Health, the Health Authority Abu Dhabi
and the Dubai Health Authority, the 2008 Arab Health Exhibition
showcases products and services from more than 2,200 exhibitors
representing over 65 countries. Leading sponsor of Arab Health is Dubai
Healthcare City and the main corporate sponsor is UAE development company
Emaar's healthcare division.
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Arab Health Congress in Dubai.
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