UAE to launch unified health licensing platform in 2026

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has announced the completion of the design phase for the National Unified Digital Platform for the registration and licensing of healthcare professionals. The platform is expected to go live in the second quarter of 2026.

According to a statement on the Ministry’s official website, the new platform is projected to benefit over 200,000 healthcare practitioners annually. It will leverage advanced artificial intelligence technologies and emerging innovations to optimize service delivery.

MoHAP added that the unified platform will analyze data, respond to practitioner inquiries, and guide users through optimal service application procedures. It will also streamline and accelerate the review process. Once fully operational, the platform will contribute to standardizing the evaluation of medical and specialty certificates, experience requirements, academic qualifications, and assessment titles, while enabling mutual recognition of evaluations across governmental health entities.

The Ministry highlighted that one of the anticipated outcomes of this initiative is the unification of physician recruitment and employment policies nationwide. This is expected to reduce discrepancies in specialized service delivery and ensure that patients receive healthcare aligned with international standards.

The platform has been innovatively designed to offer ease of use, high operational efficiency, and the highest standards of data privacy and security—enhancing user trust and ensuring seamless procedures.

The technical infrastructure of the platform is designed to integrate with the digital systems of all health authorities across the UAE. It will utilize advanced technologies to ensure service continuity, data reliability, and automatic data updates. The platform will also have the capacity to scale and incorporate more services and users in the future.

The aim of the Unified Health Licensing Platform is to develop a nationwide digital gateway that enables healthcare professionals to apply for registration and licensing services efficiently and with ease.

The platform will bring together regulatory health authorities, including the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DOH), Dubai Health Authority (DHA), and Sharjah Health Authority (SHA). This integration is expected to save time and effort for users and improve their overall experience, in line with the Ministry’s commitment to developing innovative regulatory mechanisms that keep pace with the rapid evolution of the healthcare sector and meet the needs of healthcare providers and professionals.

The Ministry emphasized the importance of the platform in enhancing the competitiveness of the UAE’s healthcare sector. It also supports the government’s goal of eliminating bureaucratic obstacles by simplifying licensing procedures and unifying requirements and standards across health entities—while aligning with national strategies and initiatives.

The platform is expected to reduce redundancy in licensing requirements, minimize administrative burden, expedite service delivery, improve the healthcare system’s efficiency, and enhance the practitioner experience. It will also help attract skilled healthcare professionals to work across the UAE, in line with the government’s focus on user-friendly and streamlined service experiences.

The unified digital platform is part of the Ministry’s broader efforts to establish a governed, integrated healthcare system built on reliable digital data for all segments of society and supported by qualified professionals.

Regarding its role in serving healthcare professionals, MoHAP stated:

“The platform will simplify the licensing process for practitioners by creating a single professional profile recognized by all health authorities in the UAE. This will allow professionals to move and obtain licenses across entities without the need to resubmit applications or documents, significantly reducing the time required for licensing.”

The Ministry also highlighted that the platform is a strategic project developed in collaboration with key partners to enhance regulatory efficiency in the healthcare sector and facilitate the mobility of healthcare professionals between federal and local authorities.

Regarding the key features and advantages of the new platform, the Ministry affirmed that the National Unified Health Licensing Platform represents a major leap forward. It will unify standards and procedures and promote digital integration among health authorities, supporting policy compliance, reducing financial burdens, and increasing overall efficiency.

The Ministry outlined four major strengths of the platform:

Finally, the Ministry stressed the platform’s importance in attracting diverse medical talents by streamlining licensing requirements and procedures—making it easier for professionals to work across all emirates of the UAE.