Dubai: Over 185,000 residents have taken online consultations with the 30 doctors whom Dubai Heath Authority (DHA) has deployed round the clock as part of its ‘Doctor for Every Citizen’ service launched in 2019.
Dr Waad Al Maftool, Specialist in Family Medicine at DHA, said: “This service has been of great help, especially during the pandemic when it was a challenge for residents to physically visit a clinic or hospital. Therefore, it grew exponentially in the last two years.”
While UAE citizens with government health insurance coverage are able to subscribe to this service, resident expatriates too get this coverage, which depends on the kind of insurance they have. All they need to do is call the DHA toll free number 800342 to register or log on directly through the DHA app.
“However, during COVID-19, if a patient is experiencing any symptoms or wants to know about the condition from the doctor, this service is provided free of charge through the app for all Dubai residents. We have senior residents with COVID-19 who have gained confidence with our advice and with mild symptoms are able to manage their health through this service,” added Dr Maftool.
‘Made in Dubai’
DHA has invited pharmaceutical companies to register their entity and manufacture in Dubai. DHA has launched its healthcare-dedicated investment guide. Residents, citizens or overseas investors can log on to Residents, citizens or overseas investors can visit the DHA website and download the guide.
Shurooq Al Banna, specialist in investments at DHA’s Public Private Partnerships (PPP) department, told Gulf News: “People seeking to invest in clinics, hospitals, diagnostic labs or any other allied health care businesses in government, private or individual projects, can actually get comprehensive information about it in this guide. There are plenty of ongoing and proposed projects and people can take their pick.”
Al Banna added: “During the pandemic, the need for local manufacturing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), masks, gloves, sanitisers increased. With support and encouragement from DHA, several start-ups and new pharmaceutical organisations started manufacturing products such as antibiotics, medication pills, suspensions, first aid related medication, bandages in the free zones here. Today we have several companies and hope to expand this to create a self-supporting health care manufacturing zone in Dubai.”