A vote of confidence for Dubai as the world’s medical tourism hub
Emirate’s health care sector ready to welcome more than 500,000 global tourists this year
Even as most countries around the world continue to battle the coronavirus pandemic, Dubai is getting ready to welcome back global medical tourists — in yet another reassuring affirmation of the strong and unique coordination between public and private health sectors that has helped Dubai effectively combat the spread of Covid-19.
Not only has the proactive management of the outbreak helped Dubai to quickly adapt to the new normal, it is now poised to attract 500,000 medical tourists this year and provide them an unparalleled experience, according to top officials from the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).
Right from airports and immigration counters to hospitals and wellness centres, Dubai has deployed a range of technologies to ensure the highest compliance to Covid-19 protocols and make the wide spectrum of medical and wellness treatments across all its public and private hospitals the safest possible experience
The announcement follows the emirate’s decision to reopen its borders to international tourists from July 7, with clear health protocols in place. One of the reasons why Dubai and the UAE have been able to get back to business and embrace the new normal so rapidly is because of its unwavering focus on testing.
According to the DHA, with more than 4 million PCR tests conducted across the UAE (of which 950,000 were done in Dubai), involving 100 field campaigns and 9,000 health care professionals, the country was able to keep the fatality rate at less than 0.6 per cent and the recovery rate at more than 80 per cent.
High recovery rate
Thanks to the high recovery rate among Covid-19 cases, Dubai’s health care sector is in the global spotlight again — after attracting more than 350,000 health tourists to Dubai last year whose net spend nearly touched Dh800 million as part of the Dubai Health Experience (DXH).
This year, in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, there’s even more reasons for global medical tourists to place their confidence in Dubai. The emirate has continued to attract fresh investments in the health care sector during the pandemic: out of 3,397 health facilities licensed in the emirate, 45 were set up during the first half of 2020.
Right from airports and immigration counters to hospitals and wellness centres, Dubai has also deployed a range of technologies to ensure the highest compliance to Covid-19 protocols and make the wide spectrum of medical and wellness treatments across all its public and private hospitals the safest possible experience.
This is backed up by a strong health regulation framework, international accreditations, collaborations with global brands such as Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins University and investing in latest AI-driven technologies such as robotic surgery, artificial intelligence (AI)-supported treatment and 3D printing in all disciplines and sub-specialities.
Over the last decade, the health care industry has emerged as one of the most critical sectors for the UAE’s economic diversification, and Dubai as a destination of choice for global health tourists continues to boost its journey towards one of the world’s top knowledge economies.