Dubai: Emergency services at all healthcare centres in Dubai — and not just major hospitals — will be a reality shortly, according to a senior official from the Dubai Heath Authority (DHA).

With ambitious plans to make the emirate a medical hub in the region, Engineer Eisa Al Maidour, Director-General of the DHA, said that emergency services at healthcare centres are the first of its kind in the region.

The DHA has more than 15 primary health care centres (PHCs), with plans to expand. The centres provide services, including outpatient family treatment, child health, antenatal care, dental work and specialist services such as ENT (ears, nose and throat), ophthalmology and dermatology.

During series of visits to DHA hospitals and centres over Eid, Al Maidour highlighted the Authority’s expansion plans.

He said emergency services used to be provided only at three major hospitals, namely Rashid, Dubai and Latifa Hospitals. Now, emergency services will soon be available to the public at healthcare centres.

More productivity

During his visits to Dubai Hospital and Latifa Hospital, where he met medical staff, employees and a number of clients, he spoke of increasing productivity to ensure best service and listened to suggestions on improving standards.

During his visit to the Trauma and Emergency Centre (RHTC), Al Maidour spoke of plans to increase the capacity of the Trauma Centre at Rashid Hospital. The expansion, which will be carried out over the next two years, will add 160 beds and 116 treatment rooms. It will be implemented along the concept of pre-engineered buildings, which means that walls will be manufactured in advance and installed directly onsite.

In an exclusive statement for Gulf News earlier, he said: “We are also looking at expanding emergency care across the other areas of the emirate. While the Jebel Ali Hospital will have trauma care, in the short term, we are evaluating the best methods to further enhance emergency care.”

He added: “We expect a steady increase in health care requirements. Within the DHA network of health centres and hospitals, we have increased capacity by about 12 per cent. We are looking into different parameters to ensure sustainable growth.”

In an earlier interview with Gulf News, he said: “Access to health care is a priority. We chalked out the additional projects required until 2025. Our strategy is to have hospitals within the radius of eight to 12 kilometres from all catchment areas and health centres to be within 3 to 5 kilometres of all catchment areas,” he said.

Inspection tour

His inspection tour also included Al Karama Medical Fitness Centre and the Al Barsha Primary Healthcare Centre. The Al Barsha Centre houses the second branch of DHA’s traveller clinic and offers comprehensive medical counselling and requisite vaccinations.

At the end of his tour, Al Maidour expressed his satisfaction at the standard and speed of work procedures, as well as efforts made at both the administrative and medical levels.

— With inputs by WAM