Dubai plots medical tourism growth
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New regulations governing healthcare and the roll out of a compulsory insurance scheme are expected to boost investment across the sector by producing significant partnership opportunities, according to the director general of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) Essa Al Haj Al Maidoor.
Al Maidoor told Oxford Business Group (OBG) that an imminent move to make medical insurance compulsory in the emirate would pave the way for collaborative ventures and increase the private sector’s contribution to growth.
“Rather than focusing on building up a large healthcare empire, the focus needs to be on developing the best service, regardless of who delivers it,” he said. “As such, the DHA is inclined to partner with private sector participants, we do not consider them to be competitors, rather they are our partners in our race for excellence in healthcare.”
Al Maidoor said that Dubai’s infrastructure was already in place, allowing for the push for medical tourism. Furthermore, key developments, such as single hospitals expanding into chains and clinics extending their range of services, indicated that the medical tourism segment was already becoming an engine of growth.
“The focus now is to attract highly talented medical professionals and internationally recognised hospitals to further build the market’s momentum and credibility,” he said.
Al Maidoor added that clear regulations and legislation, shored up by a strong support system, would allow the market to continue to develop.
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