NMC Healthcare, the UAE-based hospital operator, plans on entering Qatar and Oman by year end, the company’s deputy chief executive, Prasanth Manghat told Reuters. The company plans to commence construction of green field medical facilities in Qatar and Oman, as well as through acquisitions if opportunities arise, Prasanth added. The company’s appetite for expansion is driven by the  gap in the healthcare market as GCC governments cut spending, including on healthcare, which creates growth opportunities for  the private sector. The company had entered the Saudi market in August through establishing a new hospital in western region, while acquiring a majority stake in a hospital in the east. it  has made eight acquisitions since listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE): four in the UAE, three in Europe and one in Saudi Arabia. NMC has a capacity of 1,135 beds around the world and accounts for 26 percent of the UAE’s private healthcare beds ( Reuters)