The GCC digital health market is on an accelerating growth curve. Our research team has published a comprehensive market report examining the size, composition and growth drivers of digital health investment and adoption across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman — with particular focus on patient-facing applications.
Market size and growth
The GCC digital health market is estimated at $2.1B in 2024 and is forecast to reach $5.4B by 2028, a compound annual growth rate of 26%. Growth is being driven by three simultaneous forces: government digitalisation mandates across all six GCC countries, a highly connected and smartphone-saturated patient population and the post-COVID acceleration of telemedicine and digital record adoption.
Patient-facing applications
The patient-facing segment — apps and platforms used directly by patients to manage their health — is the fastest growing sub-segment, at 34% CAGR. It is also the most underdeveloped relative to the underlying demand: 71% of surveyed GCC patients report wanting digital access to their health records, but only 12% have reliable access today.
Where investment is concentrated
VC investment in GCC digital health is concentrated in telemedicine (38% of deals), hospital management software (27%) and diagnostic AI (18%). Patient record management — the category Looms operates in — represents just 4% of deal flow despite being one of the most cited patient pain points. We see this as a structural market opportunity.