Job opportunities grow in UAE's healthcare sector

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The region's healthcare sector - particularly that of the UAE - is continuing to gain momentum as capacity gaps in the health services sector are met with improved infrastructure and a growing base of medical experts, according to a recent report by LinkedIn.
The Industry Talent Report for Healthcare July 2016 for the hospital and healthcare industry in the Middle East reveals that employment growth in the hospital and healthcare sector in the UAE is the second highest in the Middle East, following Qatar.
In the last year, employment of hospital and healthcare professionals in the emirates grew by approximately six per cent, with the greatest increases seen in the area of "health, wellness and fitness", followed by increasing demand for those with specialised medical IT skills, health insurance expertise, and those in the pharmaceutical sectors, the report noted. "Businesses in healthcare are driving demand for new skilled professionals; this is matched with rising employment interest among students, universities and companies," noted Ali Matar, Head of LinkedIn Talent Solutions for Southern Europe, Middle East and North Africa.
According to the LinkedIn report, more than 3,000 recent graduates are currently employed in the UAE hospital and healthcare industry, and noted that the government is playing an important role in driving the popularity of careers in the industry. For example, the Ministry of Health and Prevention in Dubai recently announced a systematic strategy with financial incentives, scholarships and intensive awareness programmes to attract students to the field.
The government's efforts are bolstered by efforts to introduce a 'smart city' infrastructure with new and highly-advanced technology. The report also indicates that in the future, UAE healthcare companies will look for employees with particular skill sets in healthcare management, clinical research and general medicine. With UAE companies also directed to have mandatory health insurance, the healthcare industry is already a promising sector of the national economy.
According to the latest Alpen Capital's GCC Healthcare Industry report, the UAE healthcare market is projected to reach $19.5 billion (Dh71.56 billion) by 2020, achieving an annual average growth of 12.7 per cent. "As local governments undertake efforts to enhance the quality of life in the region, sustained growth in healthcare expenditures will drive the overall maturity of the sector and create more lucrative job opportunities," concluded Matar.
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