Dubai: Dubai will have branches of all hospitals and clinics from Dubai Health Care City (DHCC) across 10 free zones in line with the Dubai Plan 2021, it was announced on Sunday.
The Dubai Creative Clusters Authority (DCCA) the regulatory, policy-setting and knowledge-sharing body overseeing the development of Dubai’s creative economy, has signed an agreement with Dubai Healthcare City Authority (DHCA), the governing body of DHCC, to facilitate this.
The 10 free zones included in this agreement are Dubai’s ICT, Outsourcing, Media and Entertainment, Human Capital Development, Higher Education, Life Sciences, Energy and Environment, and Design industries.
A statement from Ahmad Bin Byat, director-general of DCCA, and Dr Raja Eisa Al Gurg, vice-chairperson and Group CEO, DHCC, said the agreement aims to define cooperation mechanisms between the two parties to enable health-care facilities licensed by the DHCC to swiftly set up branches in the authority’s clusters.
Bin Byat said: “Health-care facilities are essential for enabling creative communities to live, work and do business effectively. This agreement supports our commitment to the well-being of the creative professionals living and working in our free zones by allowing for the tailored, rapid and flexible set up of medical facilities within each community. In the near term, the development of world-class health-care infrastructure would significantly boost economic activity and employment.”
He added: “This is also in line with the Dubai Future Accelerators initiative that was launched to enhance the UAE’s global position in exploring and creating the future, especially in the most vital sectors of the government’s agenda, such as health care.”
Dr Al Gurg said: “The Dubai Plan 2021 has put great emphasis on health care as it seeks to create a ‘City of Happy, Creative and Empowered People’ whose residents are educated, cultured and healthy. In this context, we at DHCA are constantly working to develop policies and establish partnerships that drive the progress of our world-class health-care system which meet the changing demand of the UAE population. This partnership will give us the opportunity to extend our renowned health-care standards to DCCA’s communities, thus empowering them to take proactive measures to manage their health and enhance their skills and ability to contribute to the economy and society of Dubai.”
“This agreement will also enhance the global competitiveness of Dubai, as a business hub, by facilitating the process for the health-care free zone’s investors to set up branches in other parts of Dubai,” added Dr Al Gurg.
The agreement aims to support the provision of basic needs to each of the emirate’s socio-economic population segments. Additionally, the move will encourage populations within DCCA communities to take proactive measures to manage their own well-being and pursue healthier lifestyles.