Health
From The Report: Oman 2015
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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.

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Overview

Increased focus on private sector investment and preventive care
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Nearly 40 years after the government launched a series of long-term health reforms, Oman’s health care sector has made major strides in terms of providing primary health care services and improving basic health indicators. As the sultanate nears the end of its eighth five-year health development plan (2011-15), the sector has witnessed substantial improvements in outcomes, spending, and the number of hospital beds and facilities available to its residents. At the same time, a rise in non-communicable…

Analysis

Opportunities are expanding in the private health care sector
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Although new public hospitals are under development, Oman’s private health care sector is also undergoing rapid expansion, bolstered by population growth, capacity constraints at existing public facilities and rising demand for specialty care. While health care is provided to all Omani citizens free of charge, a dearth of critical care options has prompted the government to fund overseas treatment for some patients, funds which could be used to build up domestic capacity and prevent an outflow…