Healthcare in the UAE

We explain what healthcare in the UAE looks like for citizens of the country and for foreigners.

Healthcare in the UAE: key features

The first thing to know: healthcare in the UAE is paid, except for emergency care. In an emergency, doctors in Dubai or another emirate will help the patient, but they will later receive a bill that must be paid.

The UAE has no single system of state health insurance - each emirate has its own. At the same time, UAE citizens receive insurance from the state and can therefore be treated free of charge.

Healthcare in Dubai for foreigners, as in other emirates, is available through insurance. Employees are usually insured by their employer. In some emirates this coverage can extend to family members - for example, in Abu Dhabi, an employer additionally insures the employee's spouse and up to three of their children if they are minors.

• If a person is unemployed or self-employed, they must pay for medical insurance themselves. Not having it can result in a fine of up to 500 AED (about $136) for each month it is missing. Also, without medical insurance the authorities will not issue or renew a resident visa.

The minimum cost of medical insurance in Abu Dhabi is 550 AED (about $150) per year. It is available to non-working people and those earning less than 4,000 AED (about $1,090) a month. Coverage under this plan is up to 150,000 AED (about $40,900) a year, with the insured person paying 20% of services out of pocket.

The UAE has both public and private medical facilities. Any treatment facility in Dubai provides services on a paid basis. Services can be paid for with a health insurance policy or in cash. Private commercial clinics employ English-speaking specialists, which makes communication easier for foreign patients and allows them to describe their issues and concerns more precisely and get quality feedback from the doctor. When registering in the state healthcare system, you can obtain a Health Card. It is issued virtually and linked to your ID. Getting it is not mandatory, but state medical centers won't serve you without one. It also provides a number of benefits, such as broader access to hospitals and specialists and discounts on treatment.

Why foreigners come to the UAE for treatment

Healthcare in the UAE attracts many people from other countries. In medicine, the country is a recognized leader of the Arab world, and it is most often visited for this purpose by citizens of Asian and African countries. However, in recent years there have also been many medical tourists from Europe and the US. The main reasons healthcare in the UAE is so attractive:

• affordable pricing for diagnostics, treatment, and rehabilitation procedures;
• highly qualified doctors and staff, well-equipped local hospitals;
• the ability to combine treatment with a beach holiday and excursions;
• a high level of service and care.

The cost of medical services is comparable to prices at Turkish and Israeli treatment facilities. In terms of average comfort level, local clinics are also on par with hospitals in Turkey and Israel - and may even surpass them, depending on the specific medical center.

The following services are in particular demand:

• dentistry;
• reproductive medicine;
• aesthetic surgery;
• cosmetology, dermatology;
• sports medicine;
• ophthalmology
• orthopedics;
• check-up programs - comprehensive examination and prevention.

Among the emirates, Dubai stands out clearly. Its government is working to turn the emirate into one of the world's leading medical tourism hubs.

Prices for operations in the UAE: comparison with other countries

Paid healthcare in Dubai and the other emirates making up the UAE is cheaper than in a number of other countries. Here are some average figures:

• coronary bypass surgery costs $16,350 - in Turkey this operation costs $13,900, in Israel $28,000, and in the US more than $100,000;
• heart valve replacement in the UAE is about $20,500, in Turkey $17,200, in Israel $28,500, and in the US around $170,000;
• in vitro fertilization (IVF) costs $9,500, while in Turkey it's $5,200, in Israel $5,500, and in the US more than $12,000;
• breast augmentation costs a little over $8,000, while in Turkey it's $4,500, in Israel $3,800, and in the US around $6,500;
• a dental implant costs about $1,600, in Turkey $1,100, in Israel $1,200, and in the US $2,500.

As you can see, healthcare in the UAE is somewhat more expensive than in Turkey, but on average more affordable than in Israel, and substantially cheaper than in the US.

Healthcare in the UAE: advantages

Healthcare in the UAE has many advantages that draw people from other countries here for treatment. It's not just about the high quality of services. It's also that healthcare in Dubai and other emirates develops in step with the latest advances in science and technology. Local hospitals:

• implement international standards;
• widely apply telemedicine;
• use artificial intelligence for diagnosis and surgical planning.

The United Arab Emirates also recruits qualified doctors and staff from abroad, offering them good salaries and comfortable working conditions.

Local hospitals feature modern equipment such as the "Da Vinci" robotic systems, designed for precise surgical procedures, and "CyberKnife" machines, capable of removing tumors without incisions.

More than 200 UAE treatment facilities hold the prestigious JCI accreditation, confirming compliance with high global standards. For comparison: worldwide there are only slightly more than 1,000 clinics with this accreditation, 40 of them in Turkey and four in Russia.

Four medical cities have been established in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Each is a large district where clinics, hospitals, specialized treatment and rehabilitation centers, and hotels are located next to one another. It's convenient for a patient to be in such a district, since everything they need is within walking distance.

Indirect confirmation that healthcare in the UAE is well developed is the fact that state spending on it keeps growing. In 2020, the United Arab Emirates spent more than 5% of GDP on healthcare.

Best clinics in the UAE

Healthcare in the UAE is represented by a large number of clinics and specialized treatment, rehabilitation, and wellness centers, and their list keeps growing. Here are some of the most popular clinics.

Burjeel Hospital (Abu Dhabi)

A multidisciplinary private hospital operating since 2012. It holds JCI accreditation. The facility specializes in oncology, cardiovascular diseases, sports medicine and orthopedics, physiotherapy and rehabilitation, and cosmetology procedures.

Danat Al Emarat Hospital: Women & Children Hospital (Abu Dhabi)

This medical center's main areas of work are obstetrics, gynecology, neonatology, pediatrics, diagnosis and treatment of women's health conditions, and general and pediatric surgery. The clinic has a dedicated department for prenatal health and care of fragile newborns.

Emirates Hospital Jumeirah

A subsidiary of Emirates Healthcare, which specializes in medical, rehabilitation, and cosmetology services. It has a network of centers across different emirates - if you need a clinic in Dubai, Sharjah, or Ras Al Khaimah, this is a solid option. Dentistry, neurology, neurosurgery, and general surgery are especially well developed here.

Mediclinic City Hospital (Dubai)

A multidisciplinary medical center opened in 2008 and the anchor of Dubai's "medical city." It treats cardiology, gynecology, and endocrinology conditions, addresses the aftermath of injuries, and handles childbirth and newborn care.

American Hospital Dubai (Dubai)

A premium medical center whose history began in 1996. Outside the US, it is the only medical facility accredited by the American Institute of Ultrasound. Here you can undergo an ultrasound examination for the abdomen, breast, or overall body condition. Doctors working at this center in Dubai also treat diabetes, oncological diseases, and heart conditions, and provide aesthetic surgery and cosmetology services.

Healthcare in Dubai for Russian speakers is available on exactly the same terms as for other foreigners. Russian citizens can also use the services of clinics in other emirates.