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Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has reported a notable expansion in healthcare infrastructure during the first quarter of 2024. Image Credit: Supplied

Dubai: Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has reported a notable expansion in healthcare infrastructure during the first quarter of 2024, highlighted by a nine per cent increase in healthcare facilities as compared to the corresponding period last year. DHA also registered a seven per cent rise in the number of healthcare professionals over the same period.

DHA issued licences to over 150 healthcare facilities and 800 healthcare professionals in Dubai through the first quarter of 2024. The authority licensed various healthcare facilities, including 64 outpatient clinics, two hospitals, 49 pharmacies, 17 optical assessment centres, two laboratories, three radiology diagnostic centres, 11 home healthcare centres, besides other facilities catering to patients and the general public.

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During the same period, DHA renewed licences for 12,319 healthcare professionals and 1,122 healthcare facilities.

The total number of licensed healthcare facilities has reached 5,020, employing 59,509 professionals in all.

Dr Marwan Al Mulla, CEO of DHA’s Health Regulation Sector, underscored that the surge in healthcare investment in the emirate bolsters the sector’s competitiveness and aligns with its economic objectives as outlined in the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.

Dr Marwan Al Mulla

The report highlights that, as of March, the total number of licensed doctors in the emirate stood at 13,370, while licensed dentists numbered 4,162, nursing and midwifery professionals totalled 23,134, complementary and alternative medicine practitioners added up to 474, and supporting medical centres stood at 18,767.

Dr Al Mulla reiterated DHA’s emphasis on incentivising the private sector, recognising its pivotal role as a strategic partner to the government sector in attaining future objectives. He underscored the extensive range of facilities offered by the Dubai Government to promote healthcare investment. This includes streamlining and hastening the process of acquiring medical licences via the electronic licensing platform ‘Sheryan,’ he added.