NMC Healthcare, the UAE-based hospital operator that collapsed in 2020 under the weight of more than $4 billion in hidden debt, has confirmed that while acquisition interest exists, a sale is neither imminent nor actively being pursued.
Speaking as the group continues its recovery, NMC’s chief executive said the bank-owned healthcare provider has been approached by potential buyers in recent periods. However, those discussions did not result in any transaction, and the company is not currently running a formal sale process.
Instead, the focus remains firmly on operational stability, long-term restructuring, and rebuilding credibility after one of the Middle East’s most significant corporate scandals, which was triggered by undisclosed liabilities and accounting irregularities.
Today, NMC Healthcare operates a leaner and more focused portfolio. The group employs approximately 11,000 to 12,000 staff and runs around 70 medical facilities across the UAE, down from more than 80 prior to the collapse. The reduction follows the divestment of non-core and overseas assets as part of a broader effort to streamline operations and strengthen the balance sheet.
Since coming under bank ownership, NMC has prioritised governance reforms, financial transparency, and restoring confidence among patients, staff, regulators, and partners. Management has repeatedly emphasised that any future ownership change would only be considered once the business is fully stabilised and positioned for sustainable growth.
While the CEO acknowledged that a sale may be “inevitable” at some point in the longer term, he stressed that the timing must be right and aligned with the group’s recovery objectives rather than driven by short-term pressure.
For now, NMC Healthcare remains focused on rebuilding its healthcare network, reinforcing clinical standards, and re-establishing itself as a trusted provider in the UAE’s competitive healthcare sector — signalling that recovery, not exit, is the immediate priority.
