The DHA’s main objectives and areas of strategic focus are:
Health Planning and Investment Promotion: The DHA’s main objective is to attract, promote and guide private investment in medical services in Dubai by providing improved and more detailed information on market conditions and by preparing a detailed, transparent, long-term plan for services, facilities and human resources. This will improve people’s access to healthcare – especially considering the recent, planned growth in Dubai’s population – and ensure they receive care in a timely manner. This objective will contribute to Dubai’s image as a business hub by making sure that a comprehensive supply of medical services is available to serve all sectors and needs of the Emirate. It will also contribute to meeting a key objective of the Dubai Strategic Plan, which is to move towards a greater reliance on the private sector for the delivery of healthcare services in Dubai.
Health Information Systems and Standards: The DHA’s objectives are to improve healthcare quality by facilitating the flow of information among patients and healthcare providers, by promoting transparency, competition and choice by expanding consumer access to information on health and healthcare in Dubai and to promote evidence-based decision-making by collecting and publishing high-quality data and statistics. Central to these efforts is the development of health informatics standards, in consultation with the private sector, which will facilitate the collection and flow of high-quality information without compromising patient privacy or the commercial activities of private healthcare providers.
Health Regulation: As the leading regulatory body for healthcare in Dubai, empowered to regulate all healthcare services in Dubai including all public, private, Free Zone and Ministry of Health facilities, the DHA uses a range of tools to monitor, maintain and improve quality standards at healthcare facilities and to ensure the quality, stability and availability of healthcare professionals in Dubai. The DHA also works to protect consumers through transparent, accessible complaints procedures and to ensure transparency, efficiency and predictability in the regulatory environment.
Health Insurance and Funding: The DHA’s objectives are to develop a comprehensive healthcare funding policy that is economically sustainable, does not damage business competitiveness or the investment climate, is consistent with UAE and regional initiatives and provides basic coverage to all residents of Dubai while maintaining existing entitlements for UAE Nationals. The main objective is access i.e. to make sure that all residents of Dubai have financial access to an appropriate package of health services when they need them.
Health Promotion and Public Health: The DHA’s Public Health and Safety Department is responsible for all policies and strategies related to improving people’s health status i.e. making Dubai’s population healthier. Projects such as tobacco control, cardiovascular disease prevention, injury prevention and the prevention of infectious diseases are central to this large and complex agenda in which the DHA collaborates with stakeholders from the public and private sectors as well as with academics, volunteer groups and those involved with the Corporate Social Responsibility.
Medical Education and Research: Assuring the quality and supply of postgraduates and the continued education of Dubai’s health professionals is a key strategic objective of the DHA. This is realized through the Dubai Residency Training Program and other related activities. The DHA also supports and encourages research on key health issues in Dubai, including most recently a Dubai Household Health Survey in which 5,000 households were visited and in-depth interviews were conducted with regards to the participant’s needs, preferences and experiences with the health system in Dubai.
Service Delivery at DHA Healthcare Facilities - Current Services and Planned Projects: The DHA owns and operates an extensive network of hospitals, primary healthcare centres and specialized centres specifically for the benefit of the Dubai population. In line with its strategies, the DHA has committed to a number of healthcare projects, keeping in mind the growth in population and the geographical expansion of the Emirate, including:
- The Hatta Hospital.
- The Elderly Rehabilitation Centre in Al Safa II.
- Three health clinics in Nad Al Hamar, Al Mizhar and Al Barsha.
- The Al Jalila Children's Specialty Hospital.
- The Al Maktoum Accident & Emergency Hospital in Jebel Ali.
Each of these projects is being planned to conform to the highest international standards and are being designed to meet specific healthcare requirements for the people living in the Emirate of Dubai.