Dubai: Establishments hiring UAE nationals in Dubai’s healthcare sector will be encouraged with incentives under a new pact to boost Emiratisation efforts.
The Emirati Human Resources Development Council in Dubai and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard, it was announced on Wednesday.
Enhancing the cooperation between the two entities will be a significant step towards accelerating Emiratisation in the healthcare sector and enabling Emiratis to access professional opportunities in this vital and strategic sector, the authorities said.
Under the MoU, both parties will work on providing a set of incentives for institutions and establishments that will offer employment opportunities for Emirati cadres. Additionally, they will provide a range of training and qualification programmes for the Emiratis, aiming to hone their expertise and empower them to effectively play their role in the ongoing modernisation and development witnessed by the healthcare sector.
Abdullah Ali bin Zayed Al Falasi, director-general of the Human Resources Department in Dubai and deputy chairman of the Emirati Human Resources Development Council in Dubai, and Awad Saghir Al Ketbi, director-general of DHA signed the MoU on the sidelines of the ‘Health Talents’ exhibition, which concluded at the Dubai World Trade Centre on Tuesday.
Organised by DHA, the exhibition, received a positive response with 24 leading healthcare institutions offering more than 100 job vacancies in various health and administrative specialties to local talents. Since its launch in 2016, the programme has enrolled 415 students, with 162 specialised in health sciences.
Localisation in private sector
Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, chairman of the Emirati Human Resources Development Council in Dubai, said: “The healthcare sector is a strategic pillar for human life. In Dubai and the UAE in general, this sector has achieved a qualitative leap in the level and quality of services provided, and its contribution to the national economy. Although Emirati talents effectively contribute to the sector’s roadmap and its prosperity, there is a strategic necessity to further supply the healthcare sector with specialised Emirati talents in various fields because the prosperity of the UAE as a whole, and Dubai specifically, depends on the contribution of our people in this sector.”
He added: “This agreement reflects the Dubai Health Authority’s commitment to supporting the efforts of the Emirati Human Resources Development Council in Dubai to achieve localisation targets in the private medical sector. It stands as a platform for integrating our efforts to realise the vision of our wise leadership in building a healthcare sector aligned with future needs where citizens contribute strategically. This will empower them to carve a professional path that matches their aspirations and capitalises on their capabilities in this vital sector. It also provides the private sector in healthcare an opportunity to benefit from the added value brought by Emirati talents.”
Strategic impetus
Al Ketbi stated that the MoU represents a driving force for localisation strategies and plans in general, and specifically for the localisation of the healthcare sector. It also serves as an important incentive for healthcare institutions and facilities to open up broad horizons for employing national cadres in various specialties, especially with the incentives provided to institutions that provide the required employment opportunities.
He added that the authority appreciates the value of working and collaborating with the UAE Human Resources Development Council, seeing this collaboration as the beginning of an important phase in localisation efforts.
The authority is continuously striving to achieve its goals in the healthcare sector, which is currently witnessing qualitative transformations in terms of its human resources, facilities, systems, and services.
Specialised training
Al Ketbi pointed out that the DHA, under the MoU, will work on launching more qualitative initiatives to localise the private healthcare sector in Dubai. It will also work on increasing the training capacity in specialised medical programmes by including distinguished private sector hospitals in the list of local and international accreditation bodies.
Additionally, professional development hours will be approved for specialised rehabilitation programmes for Emirati medical cadres.
Established by a decree from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Council aims to create a central body to represent Emirati HR development in Dubai’s private sector, ensuring an attractive environment for Emirati talent and aligning education with labour market requirements.
