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Private healthcare sector in Dubai all set to boom

The detailed report is the result of the joint efforts of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), its regulatory body, the Centre for Healthcare Planning and Quality and Dubai Municipality.

The report predicts a high number of inpatients and beds in private hospitals by 2010.

Giving a comparative analysis of bed capacities and number of inpatients and outpatients treated at both private and public sectors, the report said that seven government hospitals accounted for more than 69 per cent of the total number of hospital beds in Dubai in 2006. The 18 private hospitals account for the rest.

In 2006, hospitals under DHA and MoH had a capacity of 1,711 (58 per cent) and 310 (11 per cent) beds, respectively, while private hospitals offered 913 beds for inpatients.

The report said DHA catered to 58 per cent of the total inpatients and 35 per cent of outpatients in 2006 while the private sector catered to 33 per cent of inpatients as against 60 per cent of outpatients.

A proposed trauma and emergency centre in Jebel Ali is expected to increase the bed capacity of DHA facilities by 400 in 2009. At the same time, an increase of 1,075 beds is expected in private hospitals as there are nine new hospitals proposed to become operational by 2009 end. Nine other hospitals, which are scheduled to come up in DHCC by 2010 end, will add 1,006 more beds in the private sector.

The hospitals that are expected to come up in the private sector are New Canadian Hospital, Saudi German Hospital, Al Zahra Private Medical Hospital, Bader Al Sama Hospital, Saeed Lootah Hospital, Bumrungard Hospital, Prime Hospital (ETA), Armada Hospital and American Hospital’s expansion.

The ones coming up in DHCC include two plastic surgery hospitals, a general hospital with focus on heart diseases, a urology speciality hospital, an orthopaedic hospital, a general hospital with focus on obstetrics, a university teaching hospital, a minimal invasive surgical hospital, and a psychiatry hospital.

With an estimated bed capacity of 2,994, the report predicts, there will be more inpatients in private hospitals by 2010. This means that private hospitals, including the ones coming up in DHCC, will cater to 56 per cent of inpatients while government hospitals under DHA and MoH will treat the rest by 2010.

• UAE