Medical services are broadly up to European standards across the UAE. The comprehensive, government-funded health services, and a fast developing private health sector, have pushed healthcare indicators in UAE to respectable levels. Life expectancy at birth is 78.3 years and infant mortality is 7.7 deaths per 1,000 live births. Malaria, measles, and poliomyelitis which were once prevalent in the UAE, have been eradicated. The new target now in the UAE is chronic disease, such as diabetes and cor... More >>

Medical services are broadly up to European standards across the UAE. The comprehensive, government-funded health services, and a fast developing private health sector, have pushed healthcare indicators in UAE to respectable levels. Life expectancy at birth is 78.3 years and infant mortality is 7.7 deaths per 1,000 live births. Malaria, measles, and poliomyelitis which were once prevalent in the UAE, have been eradicated. The new target now in the UAE is chronic disease, such as diabetes and coronary heart disease. Health promotion campaigns to improve lifestyles are under way and standards of health care are considered to be generally high in the UAE, resulting from increased government spending during strong economic years. According to the UAE government, total expenditures on health care from 1996 to 2003 were US$436 million. According to the WHO, in 2004 total expenses on health care constituted 2.9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), and the per capita expenses for health care was US$497. For UAE citizens, healthcare is currently free. The number of doctors per 100,000 is 181 in the UAE. Cardiovascular disease is the principal cause of death in the UAE, constituting 28 percent of total deaths; other major causes are accidents and injuries, malignancies, and congenital anomalies. Hospitals, which boast modern facilities, are strategically located to ensure accessibility. There are approximately 20 clinics and hospitals distributed across each Emirate in the UAE. The ratio of clinics or hospitals to patients is 1:78,000. One of the more impressive practices of medical professionals in UAE is the post-clinic, private medical calls which are considered as part of their responsibilities. Medical attention is provided, regardless of residency or nationality and UAE’s public healthcare is run by the Department of Health and Medical Services. It provides free or low-cost medical services for UAE residents. Many of the practitioners in UAE are foreign health professionals trained in their home countries. A percentage breakdown shows that a majority of these professionals come from USA, India, Egypt, Europe, and Pakistan. Their qualifications are carefully verified before they can practice healthcare in UAE. UAE aims to improve the over-all wellbeing of its people in general. Its strategy is to provide patient-specific care and the most popular medical services provided by healthcare providers in Dubai include immunizations and vaccinations, psychiatric treatments, medical fitness examinations, community services such as marriage and family counseling, adult and infant yoga therapy, rehabilitation, and education on health and nutrition. The first diagnostic visit to a private doctor costs about 40GBP, normally. This does not cover any additional medical examinations that may be required. Post-clinic private consultations are charged higher than the regular clinic consultations. Night-time calls may result in higher charges. Doctors issue receipts which the patients can use to obtain reimbursement from their private insurance. The pharmaceutical market in UAE is expanding, with the exports of pharmaceutical products reaching Dh84.4 million in 2007, compared with Dh56.4 million in 2005. The value of re-exported pharmaceutical products also grew from Dh179 million to Dh194 million, while imports ballooned from Dh1.2 billion to Dh2.15 billion. The UAE is home to eight pharmaceutical factories with investments reaching $64.2 million. Globalpharma, Gulf Inject and Medpharma, Neopharma, Pharmacare are the leading players in the pharmaceutical manufacturing business. Although there are fewer manufacturers in the UAE, the 400 pharmacies around the country have provided consumers with wide access to medical consumables and equipment. The number of hospitals (and hospitals beds) in the UAE has steadily risen through the years. All hospitals in the UAE have become able centers for treatment of most diseases, providing its patients with healthcare of respectable standards. << Hide