Where does UAE rank in global health care?

Dubai: The UAE was ranked with the best health care sector in the Middle East, while also faring high scores on a global scale.

An annual Bloomberg analysis that was carried out in almost 200 countries ranked countries according to a health-efficiency index to rank with average life-spans of at least 70 years, gross domestic product (GDP) per-capita exceeding $5,000 (Dh18,366) and a population of 5 million.

Hong Kong and Singapore held the first two spots, with Spain’s health care system ranked at third place.

In the global survey, the UAE was ranked at 10th place, and scored higher than Norway, Canada and Sweden.

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The UAE attained an efficiency score of 59.7, higher than the US’s 29.6 that was ranked at 54th position, with the life expectancy of UAE residents at 77.1 and health care expenditure of GDP at 3.5 per cent.  

Compared to residents of Mexico which had an average life expectancy at roughly the same level with the UAE – the government spent more than double on healthcare per capita at a cost of $1,402 (Dh5,149) versus $535 (Dh1,965).

Saudi Arabia was the next Gulf country on the list, after dropping eight positions since last year’s report, and was ranked at 46.

“Costa Rica, Ireland, Lebanon and New Zealand were added to the final index this year, having reached the population threshold - all now ranking among the top 25,” read the report.     

Thailand showed the most improvement by jumping up 14 places to 27, as per-capita spending declined 40 per cent to $219 (Dh804) while life expectancy increased to 75.1 years.