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The United Arab Emirates are made up of seven emirates, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm-al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah. In terms of expat populations, Dubai is currently the number one destination, with 3.62 million foreigners versus 864,000 nationals. Abu Dhabi is following a similar pattern of growth and is beginning to rival Dubai as a Middle Eastern hub destination for companies. As the most populated Emirate for expats, this article will look at the healthcare system in Dubai – its strengths and weaknesses and what expats should look out for.
Dubai’s public health care is run by the Department of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS) but only provides free or very low cost medical services for UAE residents. Dubai’s health services are internationally recognised to be of good quality and are generally comparable with those of the UK.
All expats visiting or living in Dubai should have fully comprehensive healthcare insurance. Generally costs for medical consultations are in the region of £50. The first diagnostic visit to a private doctor usually costs in the region of £40 excluding other required medical examinations. Post-clinic private consultations are charged at higher rates than the normal clinic consultations and night call outs may run up to more than £70. Doctors will issue receipts which the patients which can reimburse through their insurance.
Visitors to the region should be aware that certain prescription drugs and over the counter medicines are not permitted in the UAE. According to the UAE Health Ministry’s website http://www.moh.gov.ae/en/default.aspx: “Individuals may bring medicine in to the country for their personal use. Up to three months supply of a prescription item can be brought in to the country by a visitor and 12-months supply by a resident if they can produce a doctor's letter or a copy of the original prescription. Narcotic items should not be brought in to the country. In exceptional cases they can be brought in to the country but only with prior permission from the director of medicine and pharmacy control who will assess the individual case. These guidelines relate to medicines brought in by an individual through an airport or border crossing and medicines arriving by post.”
Sleeping pills and anti-depressant drugs are banned from being sold over the counter in Dubai. However, whenever necessary and in medically required conditions, patients can obtain prescriptions for the use of these medicines. Notably, medicines are generally expensive in Dubai. Receipts should always be requested when buying medicines, particularly if a person’s healthcare policy will reimburse out-patient medicine expenses.
In order to avoid any problems with imported medication, the Embassy recommends that visitors should contact the Ministry of Health Drug Control Department (DCD) to check whether their medication is on the controlled list and as such requires prior permission for importation. The Customer Service Centre of the DCD can be contacted by e-mailing drugcl.csc@moh.gov.ae, by telephone on (00) 971 2 611 7240 or by fax (00) 971 2 632 7644.
According to the UAE Ministry of Health, there are confirmed human cases of the H1N1 virus (Swine Flu) in the UAE. Visitors can check for updates on the number of cases and their location through the Ministry of Health website at: www.moh.gov.ae/en. The World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Threat Alert Phase has been raised to Level 5. The WHO website at: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html has further details. Visitors should monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can also be obtained on the UK Department of Health website at: www.dh.gov.uk.
Contrary to recent media reports, the UAE Ministry of Health has not yet introduced a requirement for expats to provide medical reports when re-entering the country. However, recent statements suggest that if a passenger appears to be suffering from flu-like symptoms, presenting a medical certificate which states what illness they are suffering from and the medications prescribed will help speed up airport procedures.
The Ministry of Health has also advised that the UAE has adequate stocks of Tamiflu, which can be bought locally at pharmacies.
You should seek medical advice before travelling to the UAE and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. Outbreaks of serious infections are relatively rare. Visitors and residents should ensure that their vaccinations for Hepatitis A and B are up to date, together with Tetanus and Rabies (in certain cases). Visitors are generally not required to undertake a medical examination of carry a medical certificate unless they have been in cholera or yellow fever infected area in the previous14 days, but all permanent residents have to undergo an annual medical to check for HIV. Visitors should ensure that they are perfectly healthy prior to visiting Dubai as without private health insurance, medical costs are high for expatriates and foreign workers.
The most common infectious disease in Dubai is chicken pox with 3,472 recorded incidences in 2006. This is followed by Viral Hepatitis B with 392 cases and Pulmonary Tuberculosis with about 312 cases. Visitors to the region should drink plenty of fluids and stay out of the sun in extreme heat, in order to avoid heat stroke which is also prevalent in Dubai due to very hot summer temperatures.
Health care insurance is not compulsory for all employers. Private health insurance in Dubai has no automatic provision to allow procedures to be carried out in public hospitals so expats must usually go to private health practitioners if they are to use their private health insurance to pay for a procedure. Expats may either obtain their own health insurance or apply for a health card issued by the DOHMS. Expats should be aware that public hospitals only accept foreign patients with health cards on an emergency basis. In cases of health emergencies, it is best to either call an ambulance or proceed to the hospital using a taxi. It is advisable that expatriates should know the location and contact details of the nearest private hospital to facilitate emergency cases.
When choosing private health insurance companies, the amount of cover, exclusions and the general medical benefits that can be obtained by the insured should be checked carefully. Some healthcare services may be subsidised for non-UAE nationals, such as overnight hospital room rates. In reality the only healthcare available to expats and visitors without insurance are in life threatening emergency cases, where the service is provided free of charge.
Some of the most common health conditions of foreign nationals in Dubai are respiratory-related problems, heat stroke and sunburn, and potential dehydration. Respiratory-related problems are oftentimes triggered and aggravated by sand and dust in the air brought about by the continuous construction in the country. Heat strokes and sunburn are brought about by the extreme heat in the country which can go as high as 50°C.
The UAE is one of Medicare International’s most important markets, as it provides comprehensive healthcare cover for many of its expatriates who are resident there, particularly in Dubai. Commenting on the healthcare situation for expats, David Pryor, Senior Executive Director said: “Dubai in particular has high standards in healthcare facilities, but it is imperative that expatriates take out good healthcare cover to retrieve any costs which may be incurred. In the case of a real emergency, expats may not be able to rely on a state run ambulance, so it is important that visitors are aware of where the nearest private hospital is. Medicare International provides an excellent range of healthcare benefits and our emergency assistance centre is always on call to guide clients through any local healthcare maze, which mean those travelling or working in the region will be well cared for.”
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