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Al Rafa Hospital to cater to middle, lower income class

DUBAI — The changes in rules and regulations and hike in charges at government hospitals has created a niche market for the private sector hospitals catering to the middle and lower middle class in the UAE, Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman of Dr Moopen's Group said yesterday.

He was speaking at a Press conference to announce the group's foray into the hospital segment with the launch of a 20-bed hospital in Mankhool area of Dubai. The Al Rafa Hospital for Maternity and Surgery will be inaugurated tomorrow at the hands of Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi, UAE Minister for Economy and Planning.

“The hospital is expected to fulfil the need for an affordable and easily accessible, small community hospital in the booming Dubai City. The addition of the inpatient facility will help to make the services more comprehensive,” Dr Moopen said, adding that the new hospital is expected to fulfil the needs of the middle-income population to have routine maternity and surgical services at economical rates.

Replying to a question, Dr Moopen admitted that the new facility will be overwhelmed due to its affordability and limited capacity, but clarified that it is not a general facility, and the group expects more of short stay cases. He added that the group's next hospital, a Dh75 million 50-bed multi-speciality facility currently under-construction near the Safa Park in Dubai, will be completed in due course and opened to the public by the end of next year.

“The hospital will provide round the clock comprehensive obstetric and gynaecology treatment including antenatal, delivery and post natal packages with well contained maternity suites, neo-natal ICU among other facilities, and supervised by specialists,” Dr Moopen said, adding that with two modern modular operation theatres, post operative and intensive care beds, the hospital will provide surgical services in general and laproscopic surgery, orthopaedics, ENT etc., through in-house and visiting specialists and consultants.

Headquartered in Dubai, Dr Moopen's Group has operations in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, and Fujairah in the UAE and in Qatar, Oman and India. The group's future plans include expansion of its present network of 25 medical facilities and pharmacies to 100 over the next five years at an investment of $100 million. The group will also start operations at the Dubai Health Care City this year.

• UAE