Health professionals in the UAE have to be insured

400 medical complaints this year

Every day-and-a-half, a new medical centre is launched in Dubai, according to Dr Layla Al Marzouqi, Assistant Director of the Dubai Health Authority’s health regulation department.

“Because of the increasing number of medical centres and professionals, the number of medical errors is also higher,” she said.

To date in 2014, a total of 400 medical complaints have been registered in the authority. “We have filtered the complaints to 140,” she explained.

“Most complaints are about quality of medical services, on financial matters and others,” she added.

Currently, 27,000 medical professionals are working in Dubai, including doctors, nurses, radiologists and others.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com

Medical errors go unreported

Health professionals in the UAE are hiding or under-reporting medical errors for fear of deportation, officials at the recently concluded 3rd Arab Conference for Medical Liability said.

Citing studies at the conference, officials said that medical malpractice was three times more in Arab countries than in the US alone.

“We are conservative about reporting due to the culture,” said Dr Layla Al Marzouqi, Assistant Director of the Dubai Health Authority’s health regulation department. “Medical insurance companies can give a scope of the extent of medical errors but no data is available,” she said.

Dr Layla said that though the errors cannot be prevented, they can be reduced. “Over the years, between 2009 and 2014, the number of medical complaints increased due to improved services offered by the DHA and due to heightened awareness.”

“Even medical professionals have little knowledge about the Medical Liability Law.”

The DHA’s committee for medical malpractices metes out punishments to erring professionals which could range from administrative penalties, ban, blacklisting or withdrawal of operating licences depending on the nature of the offence.