UAE-based doctor calls long-term visa a blessing
Dr Tarek Dufan says it provides stability to health-care professionals and their families
Dubai: The long-term residence visa announced by the UAE has ushered in an era of stability and consistency for health-care professionals who are looking forward to being more responsible stakeholders in the country’s health-care sector, a senior doctor has said.
Dr Tarek Dufan, 45, Chief Medical Officer of the American Hospital in Dubai told Gulf News: “As an American citizen, I can now consider a long-term plan, look at quality of care and reassess our future because we don’t need to fear the unknown. With this being offered to us, we can now ensure our family’s future, which used to be a tough task. The game-changing initiative for residents allows global citizens to look at the UAE as a hub for professional and personal growth in the long-term.”
The greater good of any working professional is reliant on his/her ability to provide for the family and the introduction of this visa offers exactly that — the stability that it provides extends beyond the holder to their family members as well.
Dr Dufan, originally from Libya, came to Dubai in December 2016 and joined American Hospital as a radiation oncologist. The long-term visa is an option that he definitely wants to consider as he feels it will have a far-reaching impact on the medical community.
“The greater good of any working professional is reliant on his/her ability to provide for the family and the introduction of this visa offers exactly that — the stability that it provides extends beyond the holder to their family members as well,” he said. “This is a promise of sorts to hold onto talent that is setting the country apart globally and offer them the means and motive to continue their practice while they receive the care they deserve, along with their loved ones. Personally, I can now look at hosting my child’s education in the UAE as opposed to sending him back home. It puts my mind at ease to know that I’ve got the option and convenience of completing my goals and allowing my child to achieve his in one country.”
The medical community is built on trust that a patient places in the doctors he or she chooses to be treated by, said Dr Dufan, who feels the doctor needs to be an important stakeholder in the community.
“In the medical field, much like any other, a sense of belonging is crucial. The option to grow and serve the community in one place where you can offer your expertise, lend support and gain people’s trust is a long-term effort. You build your foundation and become part of the country’s success story, eventually setting the roots for your legacy and your next of kin,” said Dr Dufan.
Dr Dufan also felt that the new visa also reflected the UAE’s efforts to always strive for excellence.
“The UAE has always set benchmarks for anything it does, whether it’s marking its name on the global skyline, establishing luxury as a standard of living or being an educational hub, the country is constantly creating research opportunities and furthering industry practices to ensure that we have the best services regionally and globally. This is the USP of living in a consistently advancing country such as the UAE — we strive for more, constantly. Nurturing the younger minds to understand their approach to traditional practices has revolutionised the medical industry to include robotics and AI; an inclusion that seemed unimaginable at one point,” he added.
He concluded: “With this in mind, the country has opened its door to various entrepreneurs that can add and enhance the local offerings — education, health, medicine, transport and more. It isn’t just limited to welcoming entrepreneurs but also opens up the possibility of strengthening ties internationally. There are more benefits to the long-term visa than we can count right now. It’s a blessing for people like us that have moved here to begin our lives in the UAE and with this additional incentive, this has only convinced us further that we belong here.”