Dubai has been growing rapidly over the last ten years. Being a growing metropolis, which welcomes people from all parts of the world, arriving in Dubai year by year, Dubai has realised the high importance of health services.
Today, there are 18 big hospitals in the area of Dubai, backed by great emergency services, which include also helicopter emergency, when and where it is necessary. Out of the 18 hospitals, six are public hospitals, governed either directly by the Ministry of Health or by the Dubai Department of Health and Medical Services authority. The Department of Health is the one that does the licensing procedures, in order to make an institute an acknowledged hospital, of course if that institute is fulfilling all the requirements. All the rest are either private or specialized hospitals, such as nationality hospitals: Iranian, Canadian and American Hospitals. Outside of the 18 mentioned hospitals, there are other 13 hospitals, which are all operating under the Dubai Healthcare City Authority, inside the huge medical complex called Dubai Healthcare City.
Dubai hospitals have a large scale of services and in return, of your health card or private medical insurance number, you can be sure to have much cheaper services, in case it is necessary.
According to many foreigners or expatriates, who live or spent considerable time in Dubai, most of them say that you should really have a private insurance enabling you to visit the private hospitals, as their services are considerably lower. However, you cannot avoid public hospitals, as they are the ones, which deal with the issuing of the Health Card, one criteria of the Residency in Dubai. Health cards are obligatory to have in Dubai, as without them, you cannot get residence visa, which means, after a maximum of 3 month you must leave the territory of Dubai.
Dubai hospitals are also backed with a growing number of excellent medical schools and institutes. More and more studies and trained young people are working in all the health centres of Dubai. With the establishment of the Dubai Healthcare City, it has been one of the greatest unique achievements, concentrating on the needs of all those who need special care, from babies to handicapped people.
The main authority governing all health-connected matters is the Dubai Ministry of Health. Under the Ministry of Health, there are two further authorities, called the Department of Health and Medical Services authority (DOHMS) and Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) Authority. The main difference between the two authorities are, that only the Department of Health can regulate health connected laws and rules and take care of the vaccinations and the governmental research programs including all the social health related programs. They also take care with the publishing of health related matter and the promotion of health consciousness among locals.
Among the main public hospitals, we can underline the following three: Al Wasl Hospital in Oud Metha, the New Dubai Hospital, located by the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Deira, and the Rashid Hospital in Bur Dubai. Here, they do the medical tests and all the related examinations. You can get the free services of these hospitals or for a very low price, in return of the Health Card, which is also a health insurance in itself. Let us look at the hospitals that are the most visited ones in Dubai:
American Hospital
Among the private hospitals, the American Hospital is the most used by foreigners. The hospital is located in Bur Dubai and has a space for dealing with 143 patients in the same time. It is a good quality hospital, having both medical and surgical services. The American Hospital strictly follows the American (US) standards. Of course, the hospital is not exclusively limited to American patients, it has services and packages of services, which if you pay, you can go to this hospital all the same. The main tasks of the American hospital includes: consultation , ante-natal classes , audiology, back care and muscle care specialist , breast clinic, cardiology , Cardiopulmonary Department Electrocardiogram, Treadmill Stress Test, 2-D Echocardiogram, Stress Echocardiogram, Cardiothoracic Surgery , Dermatology , Diagnosis and Treatment of Dermatological illnesses. The American Hospital also has excellent emergency services that operate non-stop, every day of the week.
Emirates Hospital
Operated by the DOHMS Authority of Dubai, this private hospital, which has been also accredited by JCI, the American Certificate of Quality is located on the Jumeirah Beach Road in the downtown of Dubai. The Emirates Hospital is definitely one of the best health institutes of Dubai. Most locals who have the budget to pay the yearly fees they choose to go to this hospital. This place is totally equipped with all the modern and high quality technology that is necessary for today’s medical institutes. On the colourful palette of services of the Emirates Hospital we can find: Plastic Surgery , General Surgery and Orthopaedists, ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat), Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Urology, Dental Clinic, a Non-Stop walk-in Clinic service, Endoscopic Surgery, Same-Day Surgery Clinic, Allergy Clinic, Cardiology Clinic, Internal Medicine, Fertility Centre and Breast Clinic.
Welcare Hospital
Situated in the Garhoud quarter in the Deira district, this one is the frequently visited hospitals in Dubai. Welcare is also one of the oldest hospitals of Dubai, having been inaugurated by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, brother of the ruler of Dubai, who is also happens to be the Deputy Ruler of Dubai & U.A.E. Minister of Finance & Industry. This is a private hospital which is specialised mainly in maternity care, paediatry offering pre-natal and post-natal consultation and treatments. The hospital is employing a high-qualified experienced team gathered from all over the world in order to prove their qualities for the little patients in need.
In the hospital there is an intensive care specifically for newborn babies and children. The hospital has a great maternity complex with delivery rooms, high-dependency rooms and newborn resuscitation room. There are also Medical Imaging Services over here made with MRI CT scan. For moms and women, there is also mammography and X-ray possibilities. The department of Orthopedic & Physiotherapy of Welcare Hospital is highly visited as well.
Of course we could go on with a detailed description of all the Dubai hospitals, especially the Dubai Healthcare City which is one of its kind in the world, packed with specialized hospitals. When you come here and have an experience forcing you to visit the doctor, you will see how easy things go by, with the exception of waiting, which cannot be crossed over.
