Management of Healthcare in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries with special reference to Saudi Arabia

The Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) countries healthcare service sector is likely to witness a major transition in the quality of services provided, and in competitiveness on a global basis. The region’s attempts to setting up integrated healthcare facilities in the form of healthcare cities and medical hubs, along with continuous improvement in technology and infrastructure, will significantly improve the availability and quality of healthcare provision in the region. However, an efficient institutional framework and effective regulatory environment need to be prioritized to encourage private sector participation in the sector. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the main indicators of the GCC healthcare systems, mostly using secondary data from the World Health Organization, and Saudi Ministry of Health database, and attempts to provide some recommendations for healthcare policy makers.