16 Investment Sectors 39 Qatar Economic & Commercial Activities Guide Huge Investments Over the past years, most of the Arab Gulf states have directed huge investments into the health care sector, in a new path to diversify their economies and reduce the dependence of their budgets on crude oil revenues. The Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, have succeeded in becoming an important destination for local and foreign investments in the medical sector. At the same time, they have become a destination for medical tourism, especially from Arab and regional countries. The health care sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in most of the Arab Gulf countries. This is clearly evident in the increase in the number of hospitals, clinics and hospitalization centers with their various specialties. The rate of spending on the health care sector in the Gulf region increased from $60 billion in 2013 to $76 billion in 2019 and $89 billion in 2021. The average spending of Qatar in the health care sector is estimated at QR22.7 billion ($6.23 billion) annually, making it the first country in the region in terms of investment in the health sector. In 2021, Consultancy Me International stated: “Qatar has been able, since the 1990s, to make remarkable leaps in the healthcare system”. The company stated that Qatar was able to increase its health performance by 20% in terms of the population age and the burden of disease, which contributed to turning it into a destination for medical tourism. For its part, GS International Consulting stated: “The strong performance of the health sector in the State of Qatar is a natural result of the well-known social and economic image, in addition to its generous spending by injecting huge investments in the field of health care.” The company stated, in a recent report, that per capita spending on health care is still generally higher compared to European countries. Qatar ranked 10th in the Arab world and 39th globally in the ranking of the best international medical tourism destinations, according to the report of the International Center for Healthcare Research issued in May last year. health sector has made great strides since the fifties of the last century, as citizens and residents of the State of Qatar enjoy advanced health care services. Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is the leading non-profit healthcare provider. Founded in 1979, HMC operates five specialized hospitals and 24 primary health care centers. Health Sector ... Starting at a Solid Step The Health
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