The UAE has made incredible progress in its healthcare sector, owing to the government’s plan to establish comprehensible health initiatives and programs that target both private and public health sectors. The World Health Organization now considers the UAE one of the developed nations in terms of healthcare services. The nation has high standards of healthcare as indicated by the witnessed high life expectancy and reduced infant mortality.
The UAE’s citizens can access healthcare services in 35 public and 14 private hospitals, 128 outpatients’ health facilities, and several local private hospitals that continue to be established (World Health Organization, 2006).
Asian expatriates (particularly semiskilled and manual workers) rarely have health insurance, despite some foreign employees having such covers. The World Health Organization (2006) posits that wealthy UAE people traditionally preferred seeking medical services abroad. However, Dubai Healthcare City endeavors to change this taboo by hoping to attack healthcare seekers from the affluent UAE population segment.
The UAE had a rate of bed occupancy of 57% to 90% and a ratio of one bed to 915 people as of 2002 (World Health Organization, 2006). The Ministry of Health (MoH) manages the decentralized healthcare services at all levels. Central departments located at the headquarters, including the corresponding departments located at all medical districts, develop and implement national-wide health programs and plans in accordance with the standards and regulations established by the MoH. The aim entails ensuring optimum performance while at the same time availing adequate quality healthcare services to all UAE residents.
Reference
World Health Organization. (2006). Health systems profile: United Arab Emirates. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO.