Dubai: The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) recently temporarily shut down four health facilities in 2014 on account of violations that amounted to a compromise on the standards of health services. These include a day-care surgery Centre, a plastic surgery clinic, an aesthetics clinic and a dermatology clinic which were shut down after random inspection.
Dr Layla Al Marzouqi, Acting-Director of Health Regulation at the DHA, said: “The four facilities have been temporarily shut down and have been fined for violations that they committed which directly compromise the quality of health services. At the DHA, ensuring that health facilities adhere to health regulations is of vital importance to maintain the quality of health services provided to the public. We cannot compromise of that and therefore stringent action has been taken against the violators.”
The dermatology clinic was only licensed to perform dermatological work but it provided services in other specialities as well. Similarly, the plastic surgery clinic only had a licensed laser hair removal technician but provided other services. The day-care surgery centre, had patients staying for more than 24 hours at the centre, post-surgery. This is not allowed, any surgery which requires post-surgical admission beyond 24 hours must be performed at a hospital only. The aesthetics clinic also violated several protocols, it was states. Marzouqi said that the facilities had breached certain infection control measures, some had unlicensed medications etc.
“During the random inspections, two of the health facilities tried to bribe our inspectors. Our inspectors contacted the police and together we caught these facilities red-handed. We are very thankful to our inspectors for their dedication and they were recently felicitated by the DHA.”
Al Marzouqi, added: “While the DHA strongly supports investment in healthcare and expansion of health services, providing high-quality health services in line with health regulations is mandatory to ensure provision of high-quality services to the population.”
The DHA takes a very serious view of any such violations and customers can lodge their complaint or report of any suspicious activity against any health facility in the emirate by contacting the DHA health regulation department regulation@dha.gov.ae.
