Portal to boost medical tourism

Health department aims to ensure 5% of patients each year come from outside the UAE

About 16,000 people visited Abu Dhabi last year seeking medical treatment, and this figure is set to increase further following the launch of a new portal yesterday.

The online portal, health. abudhabi.ae, aims to facilitate medical tourism to the emirate and will provide easy access to all stages of the process, health officials announced in the capital.

“There are more than 287 medical treatment packages available at present, offered by 173 doctors,” said Shaikh Abdullah Al Hamed, chairman of the Department of (DoH), the emirate’s regulator.

Health care facilities eligible to list their services on the digital portal have been selected based on their capacity and the quality of the services they provide.

Currently, 40 providers list a range of procedures, including abdominoplasty, mitral valve repairs and treatment for mitral valve repair.

Dr Asma Al Mannaei, director of strategy at the DoH, told Gulf News the aim is to ensure that five per cent of the patients seen in the emirate each year Health health come from outside the UAE.

“Even without the presence of a portal to ease the process, our facilities have seen more than 16,000 patients in 2017 alone. So there is a demand for the medical services that are on offer,” she said.

The official added that patients come in from across the Arab Gulf region, as well as from countries like China and India.

Dr Al Mannaei added that the portal is also endorsed by the Medical Tourism Association, an international organisation that sets standards for the sector.

Patients who wish to visit the emirate for treatment can check the range of procedures on offer at the portal. Travel agencies also list their packages, and the cost of the entry permit is specified at Dh250.

National carrier Etihad Airways will also provide door-todoor nurses for patients who require it.

people visited Abu Dhabi in 2017 seeking medical treatment