The UAE, and Dubai in particular, has become the healthcare hub of the region.
The UAE has built a strong reputation as a healthcare destination. If the country's population has increased ten fold in the last 20 years, then the ratio of medical personnel to population is also on par with that of most developed countries. There is one doctor for every 600 people, one nurse for every 225 and one hospital bed for every 250. There are more than 9,000 beds in government hospitals and medical centres. The private sector is also thriving with nine hospitals, 44 polyclinics and about 1,300 doctors.
The Dubai government launched Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) in November 2002 with the aim of creating a regional centre of excellence for medical services, medical education, and life science research and development in the Middle East. In fact, DHCC is the world's first healthcare free zone. This 500-acre property is the location of choice for high quality and innovative healthcare management, education and research, enriched by international healthcare providers yet unhindered by legacy systems and practices.
Dr. Mariam Al Mazroui, Director, DHCC, says, "The UAE has the perfect environment for the establishment of a leading healthcare hub for a number of factors. The country has access to a large untapped regional market of more than 1.8 billion inhabitants - spanning the Middle East to the subcontinent, and North Africa to the Caspian region. The UAE is strategically positioned in a high growth-rate regional emerging market and is recognised as the centre for new economy business in the area."
She adds, "Investors and entrepreneurs benefit from 100 per cent foreign ownership in specially created economic 'free zones.' There are no taxes on sales, income or capital gains, with the exception of corporate tax for financial institutions. The country guarantees a straightforward framework of laws, legal procedures and filing processes. It has an enviable communications infrastructure offering high bandwidth with competitively priced telecommunications. With state-of-the-art office space and flexible leases, Dubai Technology, E-Commerce and Media Free Zone Authority (TECOM) offers an environment for world-class call centers, customer relationship management and back office processing facilities and services."
Medical research
In an effort to guarantee the most up-to-date healthcare to its people, the UAE Ministry of Health keeps abreast of medical research and breakthroughs all over the world. The Ministry sponsors international medical conferences apart from exchange and training programmes.
Once a chronic problem, malaria has been virtually eliminated from the country - a testament to the development of healthcare facilities. Immunisation against measles has reduced infant mortality rates to 11.8 per 100,000 - a figure that can hold its own with other developed nations.
According to Al Mazroui, "The leadership of DHCC is committed to the principle of accessibility for all; professional and academic development; and international recognition for quality of care, as well as patient privacy, rights and satisfaction. The first step towards this commitment was bringing Harvard Medical International on board to help DHCC through this journey."
Dr. Mohammad Tariq Mehmood, Marketing Manager, Al Zahra Hospital, Sharjah, says, "The UAE is a prime destination to promote healthcare. The Gross Domestic Product of this country is relatively strong, so people can afford the highest services on offer. There are a lot of tourists who visit the country and travel en-route to other destinations."
Preventive medicine is an important aspect of healthcare services in the UAE. More than 95 per cent of newborn children in the UAE are vaccinated against tuberculosis and 85 per cent against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and polio.
Al Mazroui says, "There are many general specialties available in the UAE but long-term care and rehabilitation, and sub-specialties in oncology, pediatrics and others are insufficient to cater to the growing population in the region."
Dr. Jameel Ahmed, Director, Prime Medical Centre (PMC), says, "Thanks to the visionary leadership, the setting up the Healthcare City and the overall emphasis on quality, which attracts a number of international institutions to establish regional centres, besides a strong marketing and promotional capability, make the UAE, and Dubai in particular, a hub for healthcare."
DHCC recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Health to enhance cooperation between the two organisations on the latest medical advances and improve healthcare services in the UAE. Both bodies will work to develop an integrated electronic healthcare system in addition to a database of electronic health records through joint consulting services provided by DHCC and the Harvard Medical School Dubai Centre.
The development of health services in the UAE has been accompanied by the introduction of local training for nurses, paramedical staff and doctors. The Medical Faculty of the Emirates University has attracted some of the world's top specialists who train and teach UAE students, while the nursing colleges in Abu Dhabi and Dubai produce several hundred well-qualified nurses every year.
