Kuwait Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in kuwait, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Healthcare
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Overview 

Under Kuwait’s $104 billion National Development Plan, major upgrades to the country’s healthcare infrastructure and facilities have started and more are underway. In Kuwait, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a major concern, as high rates of obesity, diabetes, and cancer among the Kuwaiti population continue to place a strain on the healthcare system. This trend is expected to increase the need for high-quality specialty care services in the coming years. 

Kuwait’s public healthcare sector accounts for more than 80 percent of the healthcare spending in country. Currently, Kuwait’s Ministry of Health is the owner, operator, regulator, and financer of the vast majority of healthcare services rendered, pharmaceuticals purchased, and medical equipment acquired in the country. The government operates 28 general and specialized hospitals. The private sector is expected to grow moderately in the coming years, with private firms estimated to account for 15-20 percent of healthcare spending. 

Kuwait aspires to create world-class healthcare providers as well as to improve the quality of healthcare in treatment centers, such as the Kuwait Cancer Center, the Kuwait Chest Disease Hospital, the Kuwait Radiology Center, the Ibn-Sina Center for Ophthalmology, and the Dasman Research Center for Diabetes. 
The country has a well-established primary care network of more than 100 polyclinics distributed across Kuwait. 

According to the Ministry of Health, the private sector will be instrumental in the overall development of the medical sector. The private healthcare market is estimated to grow by 15-20 percent in the coming years. Currently, a total of 16 private hospitals (totaling about 1200 hospital beds) provides private medical services in Kuwait. Several new private hospitals are expected to open in the next few years, adding 1,800 hospital beds. Although the government offers free healthcare services, patients are willing to pay a premium for private treatment to reduce waiting times and treatment schedules. Private hospitals also serve Kuwait’s sizeable expat population. In certain fields, such as obstetrics and gynecology, local patients pay a premium for high-end services offered by private hospitals. 

The healthcare sector is going through some reforms including broadening public-private partnerships and giving the private sector a larger role in the provision of healthcare services. The Health Assurance Hospitals Company (DHAMAN) initiative already established five health clinics on a public-private partnership basis. Currently, Kuwait sends thousands of patients along with their families abroad for treatment each year at a high cost. The Government of Kuwait aims to reduce the funding of treatment abroad by expanding and building new hospitals. In the next five years, the government plans to increase bed capacity by 40 percent (from 8,757 beds to 12,230 beds).

Best Prospects/Services 

  • Medical devices
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Health information technology
  • Medical services such as project management, healthcare consulting, training and hospital administration

Opportunities 

Opportunities for U.S. companies include a broad range of healthcare-oriented technology and services, including medical equipment; hospital supplies, products, and services; and specialized digital applications. Quality control enforcement has increased. An estimated 15,000 healthcare professionals could be needed in the public sector alone in the coming years.

In 2022, the Ministry of Health created a new position called the Assistant Undersecretary for Digital Health Affairs. The aim is to position Kuwait to digitize many of its healthcare systems and workflows. Much of the care coordination and billing in public hospitals are done and paper which leads to inaccuracies and delays in processing times. U.S companies can support these digitization efforts. The ministry is in the process of procuring electronic medical record systems for most of the general and specialized public hospitals.
Interested companies should be prepared and have completed the regulatory formalities in order to pursue business opportunities once they are announced.

Resources

For further information about healthcare products and services, please contact Commercial Specialist Rasha Al-Muhtaseb at rasha.al-muhtaseb@trade.gov.

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