The UAE’s healthcare sector achieved significant milestones in 2024 as part of efforts to enhance performance, improve quality of life, and promote healthy lifestyles across the community.
The country allocated AED 5.745 billion, representing 8 per cent of the federal budget for the 2025 fiscal year, to healthcare and community prevention services.
In a major development, the UAE Cabinet approved a decision to introduce a health insurance system for workers registered with private sector institutions and domestic workers in the UAE who do not already have health insurance.
The decision mandates private sector employers and sponsors of domestic workers to pay for the insurance coverage of their registered employees starting 1st January 2025.
The Cabinet also adopted the National Policy for Improving Women’s Health to ensure women have access to the highest standards of preventive, therapeutic, and rehabilitative healthcare services.
In a related initiative, the Emirates Genome Council announced the inclusion of genetic testing as a fundamental part of pre-marital screening for all Emirati citizens planning to marry, effective January 2025.
The UAE also announced a series of ambitious medical projects in 2024, including plans for a specialised medical city dedicated to women’s and children’s health.
The emirates’ medical preparedness and response programme, Jaheziya, inaugurated a national nursing academy in collaboration with the National Academy for Medical Training and Research, Tadreeb.
This initiative aims to develop the skills of Emirati healthcare professionals and strengthen the readiness of nurses across public and private hospitals nationwide.
On the global partnerships front, the Ministry of Health and Prevention signed a strategic cooperation agreement with AstraZeneca to advance early detection programmes for lung cancer using the latest technologies and best practices.
In 2024, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi approved the licensing of the Institute for Healthier Living Abu Dhabi, the world’s first centre specialising in healthy longevity medicine.
The Ministry of Health and Prevention also launched the National Survey for Health and Nutrition 2024-2025 in collaboration with the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, alongside local health authorities and statistical centres.
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