UAE | Health
Dubai residents will have to register with Dubai clinic for health plan
All Dubai residents will be able to receive basic and essential healthcare services under a universal health coverage plan beginning in January.
- By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:36 June 9, 2008
Dubai: All Dubai residents will be able to receive basic and essential healthcare services under a universal health coverage plan beginning in January.
Under the plan, announced on Monday by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) Transition Team, residents will be entitled to basic and essential medical services including primary outpatient care, prescription drugs, childhood immunisations, mental health and emergency care.
If not satisfied, individuals can also supplement their healthcare coverage with a private health insurance policy.
Funds for the universal coverage will come from the sponsor, be they the government, employers or parents, who will pay between Dh500 and Dh800, through a central health fund.
Qadi Saeed Al Murooshid, director-general of DHA, told the press it was the most equitable solution to Dubai residents' healthcare concerns.
"We believe the people of Dubai, national or non-national, they deserve a higher quality of service [and to make] Dubai a safer and healthier place to work," he said.
Simon Hodges, senior adviser for Dubai Executive Council, added: "The principle of the system is that it treats everybody in Dubai exactly the same. The funding system is being designed to meet the needs of the population."
"Services individuals will receive will consist of visits to primary care outlets so all visits to primary care outlets will be covered under the costs of the system. In addition, there will be services like radiology and certain diagnostic tests and lab tests [available]" to be announced later, he said.
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The main focus under the plan is the primary healthcare facility. To access medical care in Dubai under the system, residents or those with Dubai-based sponsors have to register with a specific clinic, going to the centre first for any non-emergency medical care.
Hodges also said more services would be added to the basic and essential package over the years, saying the health fees would also increase.
Despite the projected increase of the health fee over the years, the DHA does not think the health fee will impose a hardship on businesses.
Lindsay Sales, assistant director with the DHA Transition Team, said improving healthcare access helps businesses attract people and improve productivity.
"If people are healthy, they will enjoy their life more, they'll contribute to society and they'll contribute to the strength of the economy," he said, adding the transition phase allowed companies to adjust their future plans.
Implementation will be done in phases until 2012.
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The health coverage system announced on Monday is only applicable in Dubai, which may pose problems for people who work in Dubai but live in other emirates.
Qadi Al Murooshid said plans were afoot to integrate the system with Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates, which have their own health authorities.
"I can assure that all the people living in the UAE, be they Dubai residents or Abu Dhabi or the Northern Emirates, they will not face any difficulty of accessing that system or healthcare service," he added.
Dr Eisa Kazim, Assistant Director-general of medical affairs at DHA, said healthcare coverage systems could not develop in isolation.
"Eventually, there will be a nation-wide network that will work in concert with one another," he said, adding more details will be announced in the next six months.
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