Issues over treatments here

Reading today about a doctor wondering why people go abroad for health care ( Emiratis should look closer to home for hospital treatment, 3D printing surgeon says, February 12), I have found that while many doctors here are outstanding – my cardiologist is an example – it’s hit or miss.

I recently needed a knee replacement and after interviewing four doctors here, I had the surgery abroad. I found the surgeons here arrogant. One even wanted to use a device that was recalled for a high rate of failure. But clearly my main reason, which seems to be a familiar story here, is that the doctors here have the bedside manner of dictators.

They forget that patients are, in fact, customers and should be treated with decorum and courtesy. And that many of us have as much, if not more, education and should not be treated like ignorant villagers. Steve Kaiser, Dubai

I am a cancer survivor, thanks to Dr John Devine and the fantastic team of doctors and nurses at Mafraq Hospital in Abu Dhabi.

To have such a world class surgeon taking care of me in Abu Dhabi was more than I could have hoped for. The care at the hospital allowed me to recover and get back to work in three months. There was also an opportunity for my wife to stay with me at the hospital to complement the daily care and support from the nursing staff.

Once discharged from the hospital, it was easy to continue my recovery at home and get back to work soon.

The occasional visits to the hospital were organised without disrupting my working schedule.

To have tried to do this in a different country would have added so much extra stress to an already difficult situation.

Health care in the UAE is first class: don’t miss out on the excellent doctors and nurses who are here. I owe my life and speed of recovery to the skills of Dr Devine, his team and my wife.

I will never forget April 19, when I was given the chance to say to death: “Not today, I am not ready for you”. Life is good. Peter Gabris, Abu Dhabi