About the United Arab Emirates
From world-class treatments, including both mainstream and holistic approaches, to modern facilities, luxurious wellness programs and the most iconic attractions, the UAE offers unprecedented health and wellness experience.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is one of the most dynamic medical tourism markets in the world, attracting some of the world’s most innovative and trusted healthcare brands to the market, as well as the leading specialists in the field. The UAE offers affordable, quality-assured care for international patients who may lack insurance coverage for certain procedures or seek alternative medical options, better medical facilities and cost-effective procedures.
The highly advanced infrastructure of healthcare service providers offer a wide range of medical and health-related services. Some of the hospitals in the UAE have the most innovative technology used for cancer treatment and surgical equipment in the world.
Since 1971, when the federation was formed, the UAE has developed rapidly and has become one of the Middle East's most important economic centres. The UAE is situated in the Southeast of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering Oman and Saudi Arabia, and shares maritime borders with Iran and Qatar. The UAE consists of seven emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Um-Al Quwain, Ras Al-Khaimah and Fujairah.
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Dubai, the most populous city in the UAE and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, is a global travel hub with excellent infrastructure, and is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world that offers a wide range of attractions and unforgettable experiences. It is home to some of the most iconic attractions in the world. Dubai is an excellent location to take a break either before or after your treatment. From beautiful beaches, sunshine, entertainment and shopping to a wide range of spa and recreation facilities to help you recover and recuperate, Dubai has it all.
Currency
United Arab Emirates dirham
​Population
10.2 million
Capital
Abu Dhabi
Local Time
4 hours ahead of GMT/UK time
Flight Time
2-8 hours from anywhere in Europe
Languages
Arabic is a national language, English is widely spoken
Weather
The climate of the UAE is subtropical-arid with hot summers and warm winters.
Medical tourism in the United Arab Emirates
Over the last decade, medical tourism in the UAE has been developing rapidly because the healthcare industry has been one of the UAE's key sectors for economic growth. The strong health regulation framework and the many positive government initiatives has resulted in making the UAE a popular choice for medical tourism. The Emirates have launched a major drive to attract more medical tourists by creating the Abu Dhabi Medical Tourism Portal and Dubai Health Experience to promote medical tourism. The UAE is currently in the top 10 most popular medical tourism destinations in the world, and Dubai ranks first in the top medical destinations in the Arab region.
The UAE is home to world-class internationally accredited healthcare institutions that offer innovative treatments and the highest quality medical care. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the two major hotspots for medical tourism in the UAE. The most popular medical services amongst medical tourists are orthopaedics, dentistry, ophthalmology, dermatology, cosmetic and plastic surgery. Demand is also increasing in other specialties, including cardiology, oncology, neurology, fertility treatment, bariatric surgery and weight-loss management.
International patients choose UAE as a destination for medical tourism because of its high-standard and cost-effective medical facilities. On average, medical tourists can save up to 30-40% on medical treatments as compared to receiving the same procedures in the US and UK. Medical tourists come from all over the world, including neighbouring countries, Asian Countries, US, Europe, and African nations.
Healthcare system in the United Arab Emirates
Healthcare system in the UAE consists of both public and private health services. The UAE has universal healthcare, with medical services provided for all nationals and mandatory health insurance for non-nationals. Employers are required to provide basic health insurance to all expats. Expats with insurance may pay a percentage of their treatment when they visit clinics and hospitals depending on their insurance plan.
Healthcare is regulated at both the Federal and Emirate level. Public healthcare services are administered by different regulatory authorities in the UAE including the Ministry of Health and Prevention, Health Authority-Abu Dhabi (HAAD), the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and the Emirates Health Authority (EHA).
The healthcare system in the UAE is of fundamental importance to the country. Standards of health care are considered to be generally high in the UAE, resulting from increased government spending. English is spoken in private care facilities, and the majority of the healthcare providers are foreign or received training abroad. The Ministry of Health continues to modernise hospitals in the country with the latest technology.
