Abu Dhabi: A member of the Federal National Council on Tuesday blamed the Ministry of Health for lack of internationally recognised health-care standards and shortage of doctors and hospital beds in the northern emirates.
Abdul Rahman Al Owais, Health Minister, was quizzed about the poor health services in the northern emirates by Dr Shaikha Eisa Al Ari, a member from Umm Al Quwain.
Dr Shaikha demanded wide-ranging reforms in the health-care system, especially in the northern emirates.
The member further criticised the ministry for lack of international standards in terms of the bed-doctor ratio and external auditing.
Lack of accreditation of hospitals and clinics was also blamed for substandard health care with the House’s member demanding international standards be applied to improve quality of health-care services.
Dr Shaikha also criticised the ministry for lack of clear channels of communication in patient transfer.
She suggested a system be developed for inter-facility patient transfer, to ensure that quality and safe care and services are provided to patients being transferred between health-care facilities.
The Health Minister said the ministry oversees 16 hospitals and 67 clinics across the country and has achieved an overall patient satisfaction rate of more than 77 per cent last year.
A report by the House’s health committee has blamed the poor health services on insufficient funds, saying shortage of health-care services in many government hospitals forced thousands of citizens and residents to seek treatment at hospitals away from their emirates. But the minister assured the council the UAE’s leaders back the Health Ministry, which will provide the best health-care services.
Members of the council demanded a federal medical drugs watchdog to monitor medicines from factory to patient and the setting up of a supreme health security commission. The members also demanded health insurance be applicable to all citizens.
