Abdullah Hamad, a 58-year-old Emirati, has undergone surgeries in the US, including a procedure to restore his heart rhythm to normal in 2006, and another to repair a broken nasal bone.
He said: “Medical care in the West is completely different from what we have access to here, from the pre-operation procedures and diagnosis to follow-up and rehabilitation. One reason I prefer undergoing surgeries abroad is because medical facilities use experts at every stage of the process. For example, the surgical team is different from the doctors who evaluate your condition, thus ensuring that the best advice is given at every stage. [But] I am beginning to see an improvement in the level of care available here, especially at some of the new private hospitals. But I feel that most public facilities still have a long way to go.”
Khalid Al Hammadi, a 42-year-old senior banking executive, said: “For common procedures, the UAE is now well equipped to offer care. But for rare diseases and conditions, the UAE must catch up with the West. [My] son had developed a pimple-like growth on his forehead about a year ago that soon started to bleed. The growth was removed via a surgery in the UAE, but the bleeding continued. Eventually, the doctor advised us to seek more specialist help, and we were authorised to visit a hospital in Philadelphia. We found out there that my son’s growth was cancerous, unlike the diagnosis we received in the UAE.
“However, the UAE is still a young country, and it would take some time to develop its medical services to international standards.”
