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Govt not Keen on Dominating Healthcare Despite Investments

The step is also vital to curb increasing healthcare costs, said Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid, director general of 
the authority.

The private sector currently constitutes 51 per cent of Dubai’s healthcare system, and plans are to push it to 70 per cent by 2015.

The sector also covers 54 per cent of outpatient services in the emirate.

Currently, the authority has invested Dh3.67 billion in ongoing projects 
in Dubai.

“We will concentrate on building trauma services, specialised hospitals and projects in remote areas as well as supporting private entities in case of huge investments,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

Al Murooshid said that projects have been designed keeping in mind the population growth and geographic expansion of the emirate. “In the next two years, the projects that we currently have in our pipeline will increase our bed space by 650. Besides, the upcoming private sector projects will also add to increased capacity of about 
500 beds.”

For instance, the Hatta hospital to serve the rural area has a capacity of 93 beds. The hospital will open in the next two months.

Besides, a specialised geriatric rehabilitation centre located in Al Safa II area will be opened by the year end. Other projects include the Al Maktoum Hospital for accidents and emergencies in Jebel Ali with 300 beds to be completed in February 2012 and the 200-bed Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital to be readied by 2011.

Three health centres in Nad Al Hamar, Al Mizhar and Al Barsha will also be ready by this year.

Besides an increase in the number of outpatients in DHA hospitals, Al Murooshid said there was also a 15 per cent increase in the number of medical fitness tests.

However, with the projected
 increase the authority will also put in place a comprehensive regulatory 
system.

“We need to be hard with both the public and private sector to ensure patient safety and quality of services,” 
he said.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE