UAE to cut medical fitness and sick leave processing times by up to 55%

Dubai: Thousands of employees in the UAE will benefit from faster processing times for medical fitness checks and sick leave requests, with reductions of up to 55 per cent, as part of the country's ongoing drive to eliminate bureaucracy.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) and Emirates Health Services (EHS) on Tuesday announced the launch of an updated version of the "Ajr wa Aafya" bundle, streamlining healthcare services for federal government staff and job applicants.

The name "Ajr wa Aafya" translates to "reward and wellbeing" in Arabic, reflecting the initiative's dual focus on appreciating employees whilst supporting their health needs.

The initiative forms part of phase two of the Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme, which aims to simplify procedures, boost employee wellbeing and create a more efficient government work environment whilst reinforcing the UAE's global competitiveness.

Faster, simpler services

The revamped bundle delivers substantial time savings across multiple services. Medical fitness examinations for new employees will be processed 41 per cent faster, while sick leave requests requiring medical committee review will see a 55 per cent reduction in processing time.

Sick leave applications not requiring committee review will be completed 24 per cent quicker, and patient companion leave services will benefit from an 18 per cent time reduction.

The number of procedures has been slashed from 34 to 21, with unnecessary requirements eliminated entirely. The changes follow an innovative government methodology focusing on service redesign, eliminating redundant steps and digitally linking government systems to ensure a smooth, automated experience for employees.

"The launch of the 'Ajr wa Aafya' bundle reflects the Ministry's commitment to implementing the directives of the wise leadership, which seek to build an integrated federal work system," said Abdullah Ahli, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Support Services Sector and Head of MoHAP's Zero Government Bureaucracy Team.

Fundamental shift in design

He described the initiative as "a fundamental shift in the way government health services are designed, moving from rigid bureaucracy to a system built on stakeholder participation and streamlined procedures."

Ahli noted that the bundle has already shown measurable impact, placing the ministry firmly on course to meet the government's goal of reducing service completion times by more than 50 per cent.

The package was developed to eliminate digital redundancies, enhance system efficiency, strengthen integration with strategic partners and leverage artificial intelligence technologies, he added.

Paradigm shift

Faisal Saeed Binbuti Al Mheiri, Director General of FAHR, described the updated bundle as "a paradigm shift in the government work system" that redefines the employee experience through efficiency, flexibility and digital integration.

"We are confidently pressing ahead with our journey towards building an inspiring and attractive federal work environment that keeps pace with future requirements and that meets future demands and embodies the vision of our wise leadership, a government that is faster, more efficient, and more effective in service delivery, capable of generating tangible and sustainable impact across all sectors," Al Mheiri said.

Qualitative leap forward

Mubaraka Ibrahim, Chief AI Officer and Acting Executive Director of the Information Sector at EHS, called the launch "a qualitative leap in advancing healthcare services related to pre-employment fitness screening and sick leave."

She explained that EHS worked closely with strategic partners to translate the UAE Government's vision, reflecting the nation's priority of investing in people as the cornerstone of sustainable development.

The initiative builds on a proactive approach that enhances healthcare system efficiency whilst enabling government entities to provide productive and motivating work environments founded on innovative and automated frameworks, she noted.

Building on success

The second phase builds on the programme's first phase, which eliminated more than 1,000 procedures, saving customers over 80 million minutes in processing time, cutting 9 million procedural steps and reducing paper document requirements by 900,000.

These efficiency gains have strengthened the UAE's global competitiveness while driving measurable progress in quality of life, sustainability and digital transformation, reinforcing the country's position as home to one of the world's most efficient and innovative governments.