UAE Healthcare Sector Projected To Grow 60% Over Next 5 Years Is Driving Demand For Sector-Specialized Managers

As the UAE healthcare sector is poised to grow to a value of Dh103 billion by 2021, a pressing need to build a robust health management talent pool has emerged. An industry report published by MENA Research Partners has predicted 60% growth in the country’s healthcare industry over the next five years, fuelling a phenomenal demand for skilled managers.

Canadian University Dubai (CUD), a leading a provider of health management degree programs, is at the forefront of moves to boost healthcare management pool through its Bachelor of Science in Health Organization Management, bolstered by emerging opportunities for graduates seeking executive-level positions in this multi-disciplinary sector.

While the 2015 Dubai Clinical Services Capacity Plan set out a blueprint for new medical colleges and nursing schools to meet the demand for qualified practitioners, the sector still faces the challenge of sourcing professionals with the right combination of skills to oversee this rapid growth.

“Two of the key challenges facing the UAE healthcare sector are sourcing skilled personnel needed to operate and manage the growing number of establishments and containing the costs of this rapid pace of advancement”, commented Dr. Rami El Khatib, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at CUD.

“In terms of management, what’s required are specialized professionals who understand the healthcare aspects of the operation but are also skilled in the business principles and practices that will enable the industry to operate to maximum efficiency in terms of managing costs and keeping pace with demand”, Dr. El Khatib said.

The strategic plans for the sector outlined in Vision 2021 and the continuing influx of elite international healthcare establishments to the UAE means more job opportunities emerging in the sector on a monthly basis. In the month of July alone, a leading UAE jobs portal advertised over 10,000 health sector-related jobs.

“There is a small but growing talent pool in health management and our experience is that graduates of the CUD Bachelors program are in high demand both locally and internationally.

“Even at student-level we consistently have a wide range of internship postings in this field. With so many existing and emerging opportunities, it is a profession that holds outstanding career prospects for anyone interested in organizational management,” Dr. El Khatib concluded.