This is the first book to examine challenges in the healthcare sector in the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain). These countries experienced remarkably swift transformations from small fishing and pearling communities at the beginning of the twentieth century to wealthy petro-states today. Their healthcare systems, however, are only now beginning to catch up.
Rapid changes to the population and lifestyles of the GCC states have completely changed—and challenged—the region’s health profile and infrastructure. While major successes in combatting infectious diseases and improving standards of primary healthcare are reflected in key health indicators, new trends have developed; increasingly “lifestyle” or “wealthy country” diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, have replaced the old maladies. To meet these emerging healthcare needs, GCC states require highly trained and skilled healthcare workers, an environment that supports local training, state-of-the-art diagnostic laboratories and hospitals, research production and dissemination, and knowledge acquisition. They face shortages in most if not all of these areas. This book provides a comprehensive study of the rapidly changing health profile of the region, the existing conditions of healthcare systems, and the challenges posed to healthcare management across the six states of the GCC.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Javaid Sheikh
Introduction
Ravinder Mamtani and Albert B. Lowenfels
1. A Historical Overview of Healthcare in the Gulf Cooperation Council States
Nabil M. Kronfol
2. The Politics of Healthcare in the Gulf Cooperation Council States
Dionysis Markakis
3. Human Resources for Healthcare in the Gulf Cooperation Council States
Mohamad Alameddine, Nour Kik, Rami Yassoub, and Yara Mourad
4. Mental Health in the Gulf Cooperation Council States
Suhaila Ghuloum and Hassen Al-Amin
5. Substance Abuse in the Gulf Cooperation Council States
Samir Al-Adawi
6. A Chronic Disease Profile of the Gulf Cooperation Council States
Cother Hajat
7. Lifestyle Diseases in the Gulf Cooperation Council States
Albert B. Lowenfels and Ravinder Mamtani
Conclusion
Ravinder Mamtani, Albert B. Lowenfels, and Sohaila Cheema
List of Contributors
Index
Reviews
"A brilliant mapping of our shared world's health care challenges, sharpened with keen insights from nations most impacted by the tsunami of epidemics of obesity, diabetes and modern lifestyle ills. A considered call for synthesising good science with new thinking in better prevention, better care and better self-care to create a road out of our well-being impasse."—David Reilly, FRCP, MRCGP, DSc, director of TheWEL and WELWorld programmes
"An essential contribution to the literature on healthcare policy in the context of the Gulf Cooperation Council states. Comprehensive and rigorously researched, the contributors shed much light on hitherto understudied topics ranging from mental health to substance abuse in the Arab Gulf states. Editors Ravinder Mamtani and Albert B. Lowenfels should be congratulated for such a sterling effort."—Christopher Davidson, Reader in Middle East Politics, Durham University, School of International Affairs
Contributors
Samir Al-Adawi Hassen Al-Amin Mohamad Alameddine Sohaila Cheema Suhaila Ghuloum Cother Hajat Nour Kik Nabil M. Kronfol Albert B. Lowenfels Ravinder Mamtani Dionysis Markakis Yara Mourad Rami Yassoub
About the Author
Ravinder Mamtani, MD, is professor of healthcare policy and research, professor of integrative medicine, and associate dean for global and public health at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar. He is a specialist in occupational and general preventive medicine, public health, and integrative medicine.
Albert B. Lowenfels, MD, has been associated with New York Medical College as professor of surgery and also as professor of community and preventive medicine.
