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Dubai Health Authority launches 9 healthcare regulations

Dubai - "The regulations are either new regulations or are comprehensive updates for 2016."

Healthcare in Dubai will mainly focus on medical tourism, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and innovation among others for the next six years, according to Dubai Strategy 2015-2021, announced by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Tuesday.
Officials from the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) said that they were already working to translate the strategy into a practical document by introducing new regulations that would govern the upcoming medical services in the emirate.
Nine regulations - six new and the others updated - that officials said would give a boost to medical tourism were announced on Wednesday at Arab Health 2016.
Hair transplant, hair reduction services (laser), oncology (cancer management) and sleep laboratories were among the top projected services for the coming years that needed clear guidelines.
"We have developed the strategy into a practical document in the form of regulations," said Dr Mohammed Oussama Kayali, Head of Regulation Section.
The list of the nine new regulations are:
- The Regulation for Oncology Services
- Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Service Standards
- A revised regulation of Laser and IPL Hair Reduction Standards
- Sleep Laboratory Guidelines
- Hair Transplant Service Standards
- Colon Hydrotherapy (Colonic Irrigation) Guidelines
- A newer and comprehensive version of the Scope of Practice and Clinical Responsibilities in Family Medicine
- A new version of Scope of Practice and Clinical Responsibilities in General Practitioner
- Scope of Practice and Clinical Responsibilities in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Officials said that action would be taken against those who do not follow the regulations including monetary fines and licence cancellations if needed. Dr Layla Al Marzouqi, Director of Health Regulation, said the regulations were needed for patient safety and to promote medical tourism in the coming years. "Our aim is to ensure patient safety and provision of high quality health delivery," she said.
The new strategy features four main approaches, six objectives, 15 programmes and 93 initiatives all of which are set to achieve a leap over the next five years, said Shaikh Mohammed.
In September 2015 while preparing the strategy, Dr Haider Al Yousaf, Director of Health Funding at the authority, had said: "The UAE's young population keeps healthcare cost low, yet when adjusted for age, costs reach US levels for some population against segments."
Dubai's health strategy is being benchmarked against countries such as the US, the UK and Singapore.
Long term care and end-of-life-care facilities for patients currently based in hospitals as well as self-care and home care are among the gaps identified by the DHA that will be addressed in the strategy.
asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com