Dubai’s healthcare sector registers impressive growth in first quarter of 2024

DHA reports a 9% increase in licensed healthcare facilities and a 7% increase in the number of healthcare professionals as compared to the corresponding period last year

Newly added facilities include 64 outpatient clinics, 2 hospitals, 49 pharmacies, 2 laboratories, 3 radiology diagnostic centres, and 11 home healthcare centres

Dr. Marwan Al Mulla: The considerable increase in licensed healthcare facilities and professionals in Dubai signifies the emirate's strong standing as a prime hub for healthcare investment and highlights its competitiveness, robust infrastructure, and well-regulated healthcare sector

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has reported a notable expansion in healthcare infrastructure during the first quarter of 2024, highlighted by a 9% increase in healthcare facilities as compared to the corresponding period last year. DHA also registered a 7% rise in the number of healthcare professionals over the same period.

The DHA issued licences to over 150 healthcare facilities and 800 healthcare professionals in Dubai through the first quarter of 2024. During the same period, the DHA renewed licences for 12,319 healthcare professionals and 1,122 healthcare facilities, underscoring the sector's vitality.

The DHA’s efforts reaffirm Dubai’s commitment to transforming its healthcare sector into one of the best globally. The emirate boasts a robust healthcare sector, with the total number of licensed healthcare facilities up to 5,020 and employing 59,509 highly skilled healthcare professionals in all.

Dr. Marwan Al Mulla, the CEO of DHA’s Health Regulation Sector, underscored that the surge in healthcare investment in the emirate bolsters the sector’s competitiveness and aligns with its economic objectives as outlined in the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.

The significant increment to Dubai’s healthcare facilities and professionals mirrors the DHA’s unflagging endeavour to foster healthcare investment in the emirate. The authority places paramount importance on fostering a supportive, conducive, and dynamic environment for healthcare investment as part of its commitment to deliver progressive, sustainable, and top-tier healthcare services.

The DHA’s persistent efforts in licensing and renewing licences of healthcare professionals and facilities exemplify its dedication to providing sustainable and high-quality healthcare services while scaling up to meet future needs of the population.

In all, the DHA licensed 12,319 healthcare professionals in the first quarter of 2024. The authority also licensed various healthcare facilities, including 64 outpatient clinics, 2 hospitals, 49 pharmacies, 17 optical assessment centres, 2 laboratories, 3 radiology diagnostic centres, 11 home healthcare centres, besides other facilities catering to patients and the general public.

Wide-ranging expertise
The report highlights that, as of March, the total number of licensed doctors in the emirate stood at 13,370, while licensed dentists numbered 4,162, nursing and midwifery professionals totalled 23,134, complementary and alternative medicine practitioners added up to 474, and supporting medical centres stood at 18,767. This expansion underscores ongoing efforts to broaden and enrich healthcare services in Dubai to meet the growing needs of the population.

The Dubai Health Authority's steadfast commitment to healthcare investment is evident in its proactive measures to enhance the healthcare landscape, ensuring advanced and sustainable services for the well-being of residents and visitors alike.

Dr. Marwan Al Mulla emphasised that the considerable increase in licensed healthcare facilities and professionals in Dubai signifies the emirate's strong standing as a prime hub for healthcare investment and highlights its competitiveness, robust infrastructure, and well-regulated healthcare sector. He reiterated the DHA’s emphasis on supporting and incentivising the private sector, recognising its pivotal role as a strategic partner to the government sector in attaining future objectives. This partnership seeks to elevate healthcare services and enhance the health and well-being of citizens, residents, and visitors alike, further solidifying Dubai's standing as a premier healthcare destination regionally and globally, he added.

Dr. Al Mulla underscored the extensive range of facilities offered by the Dubai Government to promote healthcare investment. This includes streamlining and hastening the process of acquiring medical licences via the electronic licensing platform ‘Sheryan,’ he said. By harnessing cutting-edge technologies to augment the system's agility, efficacy and responsiveness to stakeholders and investors, the authority aims to create seamless processes for enhanced efficiency and added convenience, he added.