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Sat, Oct 12, 2024 | Rabi al-Thani 9, 1446 | DXB
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New health cards in Abu Dhabi from Jan. 1
ABU DHABI - New health cards will be issued to the residents of Abu Dhabi from January 1, the General Authority for Health Services (GAHS) announced here yesterday.
- By
- Anjana Sankar
According to the new health registration system, the health card will be valid for four years in case of nationals and one year in case of expatriates.
The old health cards will be acceptable until their expiry date and after that the residents should apply for the new card, which will be the only officially approved and acceptable document at hospitals and primary healthcare centres in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
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According to Mohammed Butti Al Qubaisi, Chairman, Executive Committee, GAHS, health cards will be made available to the people on the same day of the application and the registration centres will start receiving applications from January 1.
“Shaikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman, Board of Directors at the Authority, has ordered the mobilisation of all potential resources, including sufficient number of employees and equipment at the registration centres to ensure the smooth implementation of the new system,” said Butti.
The residents can get the application form from the centre, directly submit it at the counter and pay the charges in cash and not by e-dirham.
Several centres have been designated in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western region with state-of the art facilities for storing data and issuing cards, and the applicants can receive the health cards from any of the centres on the same day or request to send the same to the primary healthcare centre near his house or place of work. The same will apply to the renewal of health cards.
People can also get their queries answered, in person and over the phone, from the staff at the centres. In addition, boxes for receiving complaints and suggestions from the applicants are also placed at the centres, which the authorities have promised to consider seriously.
The health registration centre at Karama area is equipped with 12 counters and could take in as many as 700 applicants in a day. The centre can handle group applications and transactions of big-size companies.
Applicants can also apply for new health cards from 20 primary healthcare centres in Abu Dhabi. These are Al Rawda, Al Madeena, Al Manhal, Al Falah, Assalam, Al Khalidiya, Al Khaleej, Al Oittehad, Al Zafrana, Al Dhafra, Al Mushrif, Bain al Jasrain, Al Musafah, Bani Yas, Al Nahda, Al Wathba, Al Khatm, Girn Yafoor, Al Samha and Al Shihama.
In Al Ain, applicants can apply at City Centre, Al Massodi, Al Miawiji, Oud Al Toba, Al Niadat, Al Maqam, Al Khubaisi, Ramah, Al Haiar, Al Gola and Suwihan.
In the Western region, the applicants can get their health cards issued at the old building of Madinat Zayed Hospital, which can take in 150 applicants a day. Moreover, as many as five other centres are also available in the region including Al Sila, Delma, Al Marfa, Liwa and Ghaiyathi.
In addition, discussions are underway between the health authority and the postal department to mull the possibility of introducing a postal delivery of health cards to the applicant’s personal address.
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