Arabian Business: 2 sectors pull Gulf capital as UAE healthcare faces 2026 scrutiny

Arabian Business reported on 11 June 2026 that healthcare and logistics are the 2 sectors still drawing Gulf capital after the Iran war.

The point for UAE hospital owners, clinic groups and finance chiefs is direct: capital is available in 2026, but buyers want proof that revenue, supplies and compliance can hold under stress.

Why healthcare is still getting bids

The healthcare case starts with recurring demand. Dubai healthcare expenditure reached AED 24.55 billion in 2024, up 10% from 2023, according to the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) Health Accounts System of Dubai. Private financing sources, including insurance and household out-of-pocket payments, accounted for 62% of that spend, or AED 15.29 billion.

That funding mix gives investors a clearer path to revenue than discretionary consumer sectors. It also raises the bar for operators. DHA-regulated providers in Dubai, Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH)-regulated providers in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, and Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP)-regulated providers in the Northern Emirates need clean licensing, defensible coding and visible referral pipelines before capital will price growth generously.

“Capital is still moving into the UAE, but investors are becoming more selective.”

For CFOs, the investment question has moved beyond bed count. It is payer mix, denial rates, pharmacy margin, staff cost and capex tied to digital systems. A clinic group with 20 profitable specialties and audited claims data will look different from a multi-site operator still dependent on founder referrals.

What operators should expect in diligence

MOHAP counted 7,029 health facilities across the UAE in its 2023 statistical report, including 6,252 private facilities. Dubai had 3,224 facilities and Abu Dhabi had 1,992. That density changes buyer behaviour because investors can compare physician productivity, revenue per square metre and insurer concentration across a wide peer set.

• CEOs should expect more scrutiny on service lines exposed to medical tourism, imported consumables and consultant availability.
• CFOs should prepare normalised EBITDA, ageing receivables, rejected claims and doctor incentive schedules before a process starts.
• COOs should document DHA, DOH or MOHAP licence status, inspection history, clinical privileging and continuity plans for critical supplies.
• CIOs should be ready to show health information exchange integration, cybersecurity controls and downtime procedures.

Abu Dhabi remains a useful benchmark for regulated scale. DOH lists more than 65 hospitals, 8,900 inpatient beds and 950 pharmacies operating in the emirate. A buyer looking at Abu Dhabi assets will price compliance with DOH data, quality and licensing rules as part of enterprise value, rather than as an administrative issue after closing.

Who gets better terms

The post-war risk reset does not make every healthcare asset more attractive. It favours platforms with recurring insured revenue, specialist depth and the operational capacity to absorb shocks. Arabian Business named logistics beside healthcare because both sectors expose weaknesses quickly when borders, fuel, labour or inventory are disrupted.

For UAE healthcare groups, the near-term task is to convert resilience into negotiating power. Operators that can show 12 months of stable collections, uninterrupted clinical supplies and regulator-ready governance will have more options in debt, minority equity or strategic sale discussions. Operators that cannot show those numbers may still find capital, but investors will price the risk before the first term sheet.