Abstract

The Arabian Gulf, represented by the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (ie, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) and their neighbors, has experienced rapid economic growth over recent decades. Today, it stands among the highest income regions globally, with growing geopolitical, technological, and commercial influence. Yet the Gulf is embedded within a wider Middle Eastern and North Africa (MENA) region that is rich in diversity, but where wealth exists alongside areas of fragility, conflict, and unmet health needs. This raises important questions related to how health systems can simultaneously provide access to innovative medical technologies for their populations while countries work together to ensure the basic health needs of all are met, in line with the aspirations of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Value in Health Regional Issues launched this call for papers for health economics and policy research focused on the Arabian Gulf and neighboring countries. Our aim was to understand how the region’s dynamic health financing and reform agendas might catalyze positive change, expanding healthcare provision both within and across countries, and what role the region may play in shaping global debates on value-based healthcare. The collection of papers brings together a high quality set of studies that collectively strengthen the regional evidence base and guide how health economics can inform policies in such complex and rapidly evolving health systems.