President Approves Creation of Federal Health Authority

ABU DHABI - The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has approved a law establishing the Federal Health Authority that will take over the executive responsibilities of the Ministry of Health.

By (Wam)

Published: Wed 23 Dec 2009, 11:53 PM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 9:32 AM

The ministry will now focus purely on legislation and regulation.

The new structure will make the nation’s healthcare system more efficient and competitive and represents a key step in the government’s strategy to ensure excellent medical care for all.

Federal Law No. 13 for the year 2009 establishes the Federal Health Authority as an autonomous body with independent budget and legal status.

“Separating the legislative and executive roles of the health sector will guarantee the high quality levels of government medical services and competitiveness that we seek,” said Dr Hanif Ali Hassan, Minister of Health and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the new federal authority.

“Its work will represent the priority status of healthcare for this government and its leadership”.

The authority will take over responsibility of running hospitals and other health facilities, therapeutic services, medical research, and the development of specialised skills to meet the best international standards.

It will also concentrate on raising competitiveness, developing hospitals as accredited teaching facilities, and promoting cooperation and partnerships between public and private healthcare providers.

The authority will have its headquarters in Sharjah and may establish facilities inside and outside the country as directed by its board, which will be appointed by the Cabinet.

“The establishment of this new authority represents a great leap in the UAE’s journey towards better healthcare. By implementing the latest methods and techniques and working according to international best practice, the Federal Health Authority will enable our health sector to compete on local, regional and international levels,” the minister said.

“We will immediately start to take all necessary measures to establish the Federal Health Authority and put quality healthcare at the forefront of our priorities, as dictated by the vision of President Shaikh Khalifa and of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.”