What’s affecting Kuwait’s growth in the digital health sector?

The country’s health expenditures may be high but its digital health growth lags amongst GCC markets.

Despite Kuwait recording one of the highest healthcare expenditure levels within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) at 5.1% GDP in 2023, its digital health growth trails behind other markets in the region, according to a BMI report.

The report said that whilst the government has invested in integrating digital healthcare solutions such as electronic healthcare records (EHR) systems, mobile applications, and telemedicine, such efforts are still in their early stages and lack a cohesive and interconnected ecosystem.

Another primary barrier to wider uptake is Kuwait’s national digital health strategy which remains in its formative stages compared to other nations in the GCC, such as Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Qatar.

“Furthermore, integration and uptake of solutions within the healthcare system have been primarily led by the private sector, with slow uptake among public institutions,”

In line with this, the country’s private health expenditure is projected to increase by 5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) until 2028, outpacing the public sector at 4.1%.

According to BMI, this is due to the government’s aim of restricting public health expenditure amidst fluctuating oil revenues that fund the sector.

The report also stated that although the pandemic acted as a catalyst for development, there is still a need for central planning, greater regulatory clarity, and increased private insurance coverage to realise the potential digital transformation in healthcare fully.

“We expect a number of these challenges will be addressed over the medium term as the government continues to enact its Vision 2035 development plan, which will increasingly prioritise the digital transformation of the sector,” the report added.