Dubai: The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) issued 301 new facility licences and has approved 10 new hospitals in the private sector, currently under construction. This expansion was announced by the DHA Director-General, Eisa Al Maidour, at a communication forum for top officials of 24 hospitals of the private sector held today.
The aim of the meeting, which will become a bi-annual feature now, was to provide a platform to discuss the latest advances in the health regulatory system, share experiences and feedback on ways to further strengthen the health sector in Dubai.
Al Maidour said: “We already have 2,738 health-care facilities, of which 301 are new facilities that were licensed in 2013. The role of the private sector in the growth and development of the country is substantial and the DHA considers the private sector to be our partners in our race for excellence. We are keen to collaborate with the private sector in all areas of health care — from medicine to logistics and technology — and DHA is working on further streamlining the investment process.”
He added: “We are working with both private and government entities on further simplifying the investment process in the health sector. However, it is important to reiterate that while promoting private investment is essential, ensuring regulations are in place is also vital for the sustainability of the health sector. These regulations are aimed to serve the health sector, because a well-regulated health sector is a catalyst for growth and development, and also lays the foundation for trust in the health sector.”
Dr Layla Al Marzouqi, acting-director of the DHA health regulation department, added that, presently, Dubai has 24 private hospitals and 10 are under construction. “These statistics reveal the magnitude of the investment the health sector is receiving. And there is great potential for investors because of population growth, geographical expansion and ease of business that Dubai offers.”
