SHARJAH — In an effort to regulate the issuance of sick leave/work fitness certificates by private sector medical practitioners, the Director of the Sharjah Medical District, Shaikh Mohammed bin Saqr Al Qasimi, has issued circular No. 1475/2004 limiting private sector specialist doctors to giving a maximum of seven days sick leave and general practitioners (GP) to giving just three days sick leave to patients.
If private sector GPs and specialist want to issue sick leave to patients for longer periods they must prepare and submit a detailed report on the patient to the Private Medical Practice Department at the Sharjah Medical District. These reports will be forwarded to the Sharjah Medical Committee to decide accordingly the period of sick leave permitted according to the relevant laws governing this issue.
Work fitness report booklets will be issued by the Private Medical Practice Department. Work fitness reports issued by private sector doctors will not be authenticated by the Private Medical Practice Department if they are not issued in accordance with the articles of Ministerial Decree No. 358 for the year 1995 concerning the regulation of work fitness certificate issuance. Violations will be legally challenged.