Dubai: Dubai’s healthcare sector has witnessed remarkable growth in its facilities and workforce over the past five years, from 2019 to 2023. This reflects a remarkably rapid expansion of the sector, Dubai Health Authority (DHA) said on Tuesday.
Jump in healthcare facilities
Recent statistics from DHA revealed a notable increase in the number of healthcare facilities from 3,431 in 2019 to 4,922 in 2023.
These include 53 government and private hospitals, 58 day-care surgery centres, 2,315 specialised outpatient clinics, 1,495 pharmacies, 119 diagnostic centers, and 655 clinical support facilities.
Healthcare professionals
Additionally, the number of healthcare professionals in Dubai has increased from 39,548 in 2019 to 58,788 in 2023, including 13,082 physicians, 4,071 dentists, 22,960 nurses and midwives, and 18,407 professionals in allied support specialties.
The health sector is considered one of the most advanced and progressive sectors in Dubai,
Influx In 2023, there was a significant influx of healthcare professionals seeking employment in Dubai’s healthcare sector. The DHA recorded 904,646 new professional registrations, along with 26,279 new facility registrations and 952 requests for facility activation during the same year.
Commenting on this growth, Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi, director general of the DHA, affirmed that the rapid growth in healthcare facilities reflects the strength and status of Dubai in the international healthcare map.
Dubai has become a preferred destination for healthcare investments and a significant hub for multinational hospitals and medical centres that have chosen Dubai as their headquarters.
He noted that Dubai’s exceptional investment climate, advanced infrastructure, technological capabilities, and facilitative measures have accelerated the pace of growth, expansion, and diversification of healthcare facilities across Dubai.
Support
Furthermore, he emphasised that the continuous support and commitment of the Dubai government has contributed to the rapid, diverse, and widespread expansion of healthcare facilities throughout the emirate.
Al Ketbi highlighted that the increasing number of healthcare professionals also demonstrates an important aspect of Dubai’s excellence in the healthcare sector, and its commitment to provide an ideal working environment, attracting healthcare workforce including highly-specialised professionals who envision a better future for themselves and their careers in the healthcare sector in Dubai.
Al Ketbi also affirmed that all this growth in healthcare facilities and professionals has a positive impact on medical tourism and enhances Dubai’s position and competitiveness as a leading destination in this vital field.
