Expats eye Saudi Arabia’s booming health sector

Expats eye Saudi Arabia’s booming health sector

May 19, 2016
Expats eye Saudi Arabia’s booming health sector
Expats eye Saudi Arabia’s booming health sector

Mariam Nihal


WITH gyms, fitness centers and even healthy eating joints popping up in every nook and corner around Saudi Arabia’s metropolitan cities, there is finally a strong emphasis on healthy living.

Saudi Arabia has one of the highest percentages of diabetes in the world and studies show that obesity and lack of exercise play a huge role in this. With diabetes and obesity on the rise, people living in Saudi Arabia face many health risks all associated to lifestyle choices.

Only recently, over the past five years have gyms and parks started coming up giving women and families a chance to exercise.

Now with the ‘Vision 2030’ in place, the plan will also give expatriates more rights to invest in the country. Many expats spoke to Saudi Gazette and hope to invest in the health sector.

NCB Capital recently confirmed the growth in demand for healthcare is expected to remain strong in the coming years due to low healthcare penetration in Saudi Arabia, a growing and aging population, and an increase in ‘lifestyle diseases’.

“The health sector in Saudi Arabia remains relatively under penetrated and the increasing occurrence of lifestyle diseases will support demand for high quality healthcare in Saudi Arabia,” said Farouk Miah, head of equity research at NCB Capital. Based on various data points from the ninth development of the Saudi government covering the period 2010-2014, social and healthcare investments account for 19 percent of the total budgeted expenditure, equivalent to approximately SR274 billion. “The government spending is about to increase due to the growing demand in healthcare, as NCB Capital’s report estimated, and this shows there is scope to invest in the health sector be it health clinics, fitness centers or gyms. The expenditure on the health sector is expected to increase to SR174 billion in 2017, CAGR growth of 16.8 percent between 2011 and 2017,” Nadeem Khan, an Indian national living in Jeddah, told Saudi Gazette.

“However, the role of the private healthcare sector will remain vital to the health sector in Saudi Arabia. This is where we come in. I have lived here all my life and now that we can finally invest and own something on our own, I am looking forward to investing into the health sector with a private project,” Mehreen Akram, an Indian national living in Jeddah, told Saudi Gazette.

“We need to think about Hail, Dammam, Bisha, Asir, Baha and Tabuk. We are limited in spaces, health supplements and even diet choices. I am looking into investing into this sector not just from a business standpoint but because people here need to start eating healthy, which is as crucial as exercising. I am looking into catering, selling healthier options for children too, so they can start eating right from an early age,” said Sadiq Ansari, an Indian national in Dhahran.

Fathima Mohammad, a British national based in Jeddah, believes people need a range of options to choose from when it comes to healthy eating. “I can’t wait to open my own business that offers healthy food and beverages at an affordable price range. The new health places in Jeddah and Riyadh are overpriced and only for a section of society. I would love to open my health chain,” she said.

Most expatriates and locals confirmed that the lack of physical activity and venues to exercise is the major reason for inactivity, obesity and other health diseases. Public parks have been a popular hit with people living in the Kingdom. However, public spaces come with their own catalogue of setback for women and children.

“Think about it, how many of us can actually utilize that space? Parks are growing yes, but still not accessible. Forget finding a driver to go park somewhere so I can walk, which I think is ridiculous, it is just hard enough to raise a girl in this environment. She can’t even ride a bike around the neighborhood, unless you live in a compound or close to a park.
So I think we need more health centers for growing children, which I hope to invest in, especially aerobics and yoga, these are fun exercises for children to keep them active especially if they are not active in sports,” Nabila Ahmad, an American national living in Taif, told Saudi Gazette.

Another expat who has lived in the Kingdom for 30 years said he wants to run a fitness center chain including a gym for women. “We need to educate people on fitness and its important. I want to launch this with a range of international facilities open to all,” said Shahid Imran, a Pakistani national based in Dammam.

The Ministry of Health plans to privatize 295 hospitals and 2,259 health centers by 2030, according to a former director of the ministry’s Administrative and Scholarships General Affairs. This provides scope for not only an overall improvement in the sector but also an overall rise in health awareness and growing willingness to get and stay fit.


May 19, 2016
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