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Health Care in
Dubai, UAE
Dubai’s health
services are
internationally
recognized to be of
good quality and
comparable to other
developed countries.
Hospitals, which
boast of with their
modern facilities,
are strategically
located to ensure
accessibility. There
are about 20 clinics
and hospitals
distributed across
the Emirate. The
ratio of
clinics/hospitals to
patients is
1:78,000.
Dubai’s public
health care is being
run by the
Department of Health
and Medical Services
(DOHMS). It provides
free or very low
cost medical
services for UAE
residents. There are
also private health
care providers. Many
of these
practitioners are
foreign health
professionals
trained in their
home countries. Most
of them come from
USA, India, Egypt,
Europe, and
Pakistan. Their
qualifications are
carefully verified
before they can
practice health care
in Dubai.
Private Health Care
Insurance in Dubai
Health care
insurance is not
compulsory for all
employers. Foreign
workers may either
obtain their own
health insurance or
apply for a health
card issued by the
DOHMS. Public
hospitals only
accept foreign
patients with health
cards but on an
emergency basis
only.
When choosing
private health
insurance companies
or health
maintenance
organizations, the
amount of cover, the
health cases that
can be covered, and
the general medical
benefits that can be
obtained by the
insured should be
looked at.
Expatriates used to
constitute about 75%
of public hospitals’
patient burden. Thus
beginning 2001,
medical services are
no longer free to
expatriates but are
still provided with
high subsidies.
Since 2004,
only foreign
patients required
for admission are
accepted by public
hospitals. Discount
is only provided to
cover room rates but
other services while
in the hospital are
unsubsidized.
However, life
threatening
emergency cases are
provided free of
charge.
Public hospitals
offer the most
number of surgical
procedures. However,
private health
insurance in Dubai
has no provision to
allow procedures to
be done in public
hospitals so they go
to private health
practitioners just
to avoid from
personally paying
for the procedure.
Visitors
Information in Dubai
Visitors are
generally not
required to
undertake a medical
exam or carry with
them a
medical certificate
unless they have
been in cholera or
yellow fever
infected area in the
past 14 days. On the
other hand, visitors
should ensure that
they are perfectly
healthy prior to
visiting Dubai as
medical costs
can be higher
for expatriates and
foreign workers.
The most common
diseases were
identified above.
None of these
however, except for
the heat stroke, are
applicable to
expatriates. Some of
the most common
health conditions of
foreign nationals in
Dubai are
alcoholism,
respiratory-related
problems, heat
stroke and sunburn,
and potential
dehydration.
Alcoholism is
usually brought
about by depression
among foreign
nationals working in
Dubai.
Respiratory-related
problems are
oftentimes triggered
and aggravated by
sand and dust in the
air brought about by
the continuous
construction in the
country.
In cases of health
emergencies, it is
best to either call
an ambulance or
proceed to the
hospital using a
taxi. It is
advisable that
expatriates should
know the location
and contact details
of the nearest
hospital to
facilitate emergency
cases.
Sleeping pills and
anti-depressant
drugs are banned
from being sold over
the counter in
Dubai. However,
whenever necessary
and in medically
required conditions,
patients are advised
to obtain
prescriptions for
the use of these
medicines. Notably,
medicines are
generally expensive
in Dubai. Receipts
should always be
requested with
buying medicines
particularly if the
health insurance of
expatriates will
reimburse
out-patient medicine
expenses.
Dubai has gained
an excellent
reputation
for their medical
care; the
following factors
have contributed to
this success:
High Quality
of Life, Excellent
Living Conditions:
Dubai’s hotels,
residential and
commercial
properties,
recreational and
leisure facilities
combined with an
excellent
infrastructure, low
crime, clean
environment,
tolerance and
cultural diversity,
cosmopolitan life
style, modern public
administration,
availability of a
wide range of
consumer goods and
services, mild
winters and clean,
palm fringed beaches
have all contributed
to an exceptionally
high quality of life.
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