Dubai
Six more medical fitness test centres will be built to accommodate the growing number of people coming to Dubai, Essa Al Maidor, director general of the Dubai Health Authority said.
He said the new centres will make a “big impact” on the quality of services. Expatriates coming to live and work in Dubai and the UAE are screened for HIV/AIDs, Syphilis, Pulmonary TB and Hepatitis B. Women coming to work as a housemaid or a nanny have to undergo a pregnancy test.
Last year the DHA had opened two new centre bringing the total to 18 across the emirate.
The newly-appointed director said he is planning further improvements in medical services and will separate the in-patient and out-patient sections at Rashid Hospital and Dubai Hospital--the two leading government hospitals in the emirate, to make it easier for patients.
The director plans to get on file the medical history of every Dubai resident. “We do not wish to just vaccinate (a child) and the ‘customer’ comes back to us years later with diabetes or hypertension,” he said.
He said the data will show how healthy the population is or when and how to treat people who have genetic issues. “How can the doctor know, if the patient did not tell him, or if the patient’s history is not recorded. What will the doctor advise?” he said.
The health sector is expanding fast and the planned new medical facilities will add 1500 more hospital beds, he said.
