Major Dubai healthcare expansion projects under way

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Dubai Health Authority officials, led by Humaid Al Qatami, evaluate the progress of some projects under construction during a recent inspection in Dubai. — Supplied photo
Dubai Health Authority officials, led by Humaid Al Qatami, evaluate the progress of some projects under construction during a recent inspection in Dubai. - Supplied photo

Dubai - Humaid Al Qatami, director-general of the DHA, recently inspected the construction of some medical projects.

By Staff Reporter

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Published: Sun 16 Dec 2018, 7:00 PM

Last updated: Sun 16 Dec 2018, 9:17 PM

Keeping pace with the growing population and the need to enhance specialised care, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has undertaken major expansion plans to provide high-quality medical services to residents and visitors.
Humaid Al Qatami, director-general of the DHA, recently inspected the construction of some medical projects.
Al Qusais centre
The new Al Qusais Centre will add to the network of 14 DHA primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in the emirate. The DHA has the largest number of internationally accredited primary healthcare centres in the country. In addition to Al Qusais Centre, which is expected to be completed by mid-2019, the DHA will also finish the construction of two new PHCs in Umm Suqeim and Abu Hail by the end of next year.
The centre will cater to the medical needs of the community and provide a wide range of services, including child health, family medicine, chronic disease clinics and ENT services.
Nearly 500,000 residents visited the PHCs in 2017 for consultation in family medicine alone.
Al Qatami highlighted that primary healthcare is the "frontline care" and the DHA focuses on providing a wide range of medical services and inculcating the concept of preventive care.
The specialties at the centres include family medicine, radiology, childcare, gynaecology, paediatrics, dermatology, nutrition, dentistry, chronic diseases, pre-martial testing, pharmaceutical services, and intermediate level urgent cases.
They also provide additional services such as home care; anti-smoking clinics; and a range of screening packages as part of their preventive outreach and educational health programmes.
Since 2015, two DHA centres - Al Barsha and Nad Al Hammar - have been providing round-the-clock services and offering urgent medical care so that only emergency cases need to be addressed in a hospital setting.
Seniors' Happiness Centre
The Seniors' Happiness Centre is the sole centre for the elderly in the emirate. It provides a host of in-patient and outpatient geriatric and rehabilitation services.
Al Qatami said the DHA is focused on providing quality geriatric care to its population. The centre aims to "provide a stimulating, positive and motivating environment" and promote interaction among families and the community through common areas such as the Majlis.
As per 2017 statistics, the rate of Emiratis above the age of 60 years in the UAE is seven per cent. This is expected to reach 11 per cent by 2032 and 19 per cent in 2050.
In the 1960s, life expectancy was 53 years in the UAE. Today, it has reached 81 years for females and 78 for males.
The centre was established in 1993 and presently has 24 in-patients and 240 outpatients.
Long-term care centre
This centre will be located at the Seniors' Happiness Centre complex. The 120-bed centre will cater to the needs of long-term-care patients and will provide them with a positive environment to promote healing.
asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com


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