ABU DHABI // With hospitals around the country applying for international accreditation, it will not be long before the UAE is a hub for medical tourism, according to the Ministry of Health.
"People go to London for shopping with their families and receive a check-up or undergo a small operation," said Nasser Khalifa al Budoor, who is in charge of international relations and health affairs at the ministry. He sees no reason why people should not come to the UAE for the same reasons.
"We have so much to offer now, with certified hospitals from international agencies," he said.
The global medical tourism industry is worth a fortune, with some estimates assessing its value at Dh200 billion (US$54.4bn) a year. Many sectors in the UAE hope to tap in to this market and are in the process of bringing the health care they offer up to international standards.
One of the world's leading accreditation organisations is the Joint Commission International (JCI) in the US, which to date has given its seal of approval to 16 hospitals in the UAE. Although the first, the American Hospital Dubai, was accredited in 2000, almost all the others won accreditation in 2007 and 2008. The latest is Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi, which announced last month that it had won JCI status for its Surgical Pavilion, Medical Pavilion and outpatient speciality clinics.
In addition to boosting revenue, accreditation could also improve the standard of medical care for residents of the Emirates.
"We have a department here establishing this," said Mr Budoor. "We'll be ready to start receiving patients coming here with their families, whether for plastic surgery, knee replacements or cardiovascular [treatment]. We have so many hospitals, with John Hopkins, Harvard, some of the biggest names in the world are here doing work."
However, it will take more than new hospitals and the latest equipment to lure people here for treatment. Countries with a less developed medical history are already taking a sizeable share of the market by aggressively advertising modestly priced elective surgeries.
Thailand is well known for combining the experience of a five-star beach holiday with plastic surgery, while India is a world leader in medical tourism, attracting patients from as far afield as the UK for procedures ranging from routine knee and hip operations to open-heart surgery.
"There are so many issues relating to medical tourism and because the area is developing so quickly it's becoming essential that hospitals, insurers and policymakers, to name a few, work together closely to streamline processes to cater to this market," said Sietske Meerloo, the marketing manager at the exhibition and event company IIR Middle East.
In November, IIR will stage the Healthcare Travel Exhibition & Congress 2008 at the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel in Dubai. "We're expecting a great deal of debate at the event and hopefully we'll see some practical solutions adopted for many of these issues," said Ms Meerloo.
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What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Results
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah Group Two (PA) US$55,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: Rasi, Harry Bentley (jockey), Sulaiman Al Ghunaimi (trainer).
7.05pm: Meydan Trophy (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,900m; Winner: Ya Hayati, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Bochart, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
8.15pm: Balanchine Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Magic Lily, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
9.25pm: Firebreak Stakes Group Three (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
10pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Eynhallow, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Results
2pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m, Winner: AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: AF Sahwa, Nathan Crosse, Mohamed Ramadan.
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,000m, Winner: AF Thobor, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: AF Mezmar, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
4pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup presented by Longines (TB) Dh 200,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Galvanize, Nathan Cross, Doug Watson.
4.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Ajaj, Bernardo Pinheiro, Mohamed Daggash.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills