World

Saudi Arabia needs an extra 175,000 healthcare workers by 2030: Report

Saudi Arabia will need an additional 175,000 doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers by 2030 to tackle shortages and meet the healthcare requirements of its growing population, according to a new report.

This includes about 69,000 extra doctors, 64,000 extra nurses and 42,000 extra allied health professionals – healthcare staff that are not in medicine or nursing but who support health administration and management, technical issues, diagnostics, rehabilitation and other fields of care.

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Mansoor Ahmed, director for health care, education and PPP at Colliers International, which has unveiled its latest report on the healthcare landscape in the Middle East, said demand is likely to be even higher. Presently around 232,000 medical staff are expatriates and – as a part of the Saudization drive in the healthcare sector the majority of these jobs must be filled by Saudi nationals, he said.

Saudi veiled women doctors work at a hospital in Riyadh March 3, 2005. (Reuters)

The report points out that, as the region accelerates towards construction of healthcare infrastructure in order to improve access of care, the demand for medical professionals’ scales exponentially.

Moreover, the changing context of health systems, the growing burden of chronic diseases, an ageing population, increasing patient expectations and rapid advances in treatment innovation and technology are all affecting the way health services are delivered.

This is leading to changes in the human skill set required to cater to current and emerging healthcare needs of the population.

Ahmed says Saudi Arabia – one of the largest healthcare markets in the region and the biggest in the GCC – has a population of 36.5 million which, combined with the country’s ambitious Vision 2030 plans, is driving fundamental structural changes across the Kingdom’s economy, including healthcare.

A nurse administers a dose of vaccine against the covid-19 diseases at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center in the Saudi capital Riyadh, on January 21, 2021. Saudi Arabia launched its coronavirus vaccination campaign on December 17 after receiving the first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Due to the increase in population, which is expected to reach 45 million by 2023, and the requirement for new healthcare facilities, an additional 26,000 to 43,000 beds will be required.

The demand will be even higher as a part of Saudization drive in the healthcare sector where the majority of these jobs must be filled by Saudi nationals.

Presently, 60 percent of doctors (including dentists), 57 percent of nurses, 19 percent of allied health professionals and 61 percent of the pharmacists, which total to around 232,000 medical professionals, are expatriates.

Furthermore, as the Kingdom embarks in the adoption of new medical technologies resulting in demand moving from traditional courses to advanced medical education. Artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, robotic medical sciences, genome sequences and short courses to enhance the skillset of doctors, registered nurses and allied health professionals to be able to opt for specialized positions; all of which will require additional facilities.

Shortages across the Middle East

The report also looked at other healthcare gaps across the region.

In Egypt – which has one of the lowest rations of doctors and nurses per capita in the population – around 48,000 new healthcare staff will be required by 2030.

“Egypt has one of the Middle East’s lowest ratios of healthcare workers per capita,” said Ahmed. “Whilst a large number of physicians graduate from Egypt, the number of physicians practicing in the country is very low due to the brain drain of high-quality doctors to the GCC and the Western countries.”

“Due to the increase in population, which is expected to reach 115 million by 2030, and the requirement for new healthcare facilities, an additional 13,600 (hospital) beds will be required.”

“There will be additional demand for doctors, nurses, pharmacists and dentists. The demand for healthcare workers to meet the growing population is increasing; along with the launch of the Universal Healthcare Insurance (UHI) which is initiating the increase of beds per population to increase the accessibility of healthcare services.”

“The quickly maturing healthcare market in Egypt is gaining momentum but still has a way to go to close the bed[1]shortage gap and manage the increase of non-communicable diseases. The demand drivers of an aging population, bed-shortage and increase of diseases in the population are driving great demand for quality, healthcare and hospital centers in general.”

And in the UAE, there will be a gap of around 15,000 nurses and allied health professionals in Abu Dhabi and 6,000 physicians and 11,000 nurses in Dubai by 2030, Ahmed said.

“Despite the fact that a remarkable increase (has) took place in the number of healthcare workforce in the UAE, there is still a shortage in availability of trained physicians/nurses, particularly local professionals,” he said. “The gaps in the workforce do not only pertain to doctors but also to nurses and other paramedical staff who make up the bulk of health workforce.”

“Physician and nurse density in UAE at 2.9 and 6.4 per 1,000 population respectively is higher than the GCC countries’ average, however, it is significantly lower than international benchmarks with developed healthcare systems. Also, there is an imbalance in the distribution of doctors and nurses within the UAE with Abu Dhabi having the highest ratio of doctors and nurses to population.”

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World

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

World

At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

World

US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM