The Dubai Health Authority, DHA, is planning more programmes and projects to develop the health-care sector in the emirate and its health sector roadmap for 2015 is on track, according to the DHA chief.
Speaking to Gulf News daily, Eisa Al Maidour, Director-General of DHA, revealed a number of projects the authority has planned for this year. "One of the most important goals DHA is looking forward to fulfil is the health security of society." In 2015, he added, the DHA will continue to see the roll out of the mandatory health insurance scheme and anticipates that the complete roll-out will be earlier than mid-2016. "This will benefit everyone living in Dubai and is most certainly a milestone for the health sector. Of course there will be challenges on the way but I can also see the opportunities," he said.
He noted that smart clinics and smart technology have been given top priority in the health strategies for 2015, not just for running hospitals and maintaining hospital files but to enhance patient experience as well.
Citing successful initiatives, he said: "In 2014 DHA implemented smart physiotherapy so that patients could exercise in the comfort of their homes without the need to visit a physiotherapist on a daily basis. During Gitex 2014, we presented smart screens for every hospital bed that will provide patients with edutainment and other facilities such as ordering their meal, calling for laundry services and turning out the lights of their rooms from their hospital beds." The DHA also introduced smart apps so that people could book, cancel, reschedule appointments or have a look at test results as and when they like. "Making information accessible at one’s fingertips is important to help enhance patient convenience," said Al Maidour who plans to continue rolling out these programmes in 2015.
As per 2010 statistics, 5.2 percent of the local population is above 60 years of age in the UAE. In the 1960s, life expectancy was 53 years. Today, the average life expectancy for the elderly in Dubai is 78 years for females and 75 for males. This is higher compared with some other Middle Eastern countries. Therefore, the emphasis has to be on healthy ageing, pointed out Al Maidour.
"2015 will also be the year when we will significantly enhance care for the elderly. The DHA’s primary health-care centres have several specialised clinics for the elderly, including geriatric clinics that include memory and dementia clinic, osteoporosis, rehabilitation and fall clinic, to help elderly patients get specialised care and also have home-care services for geriatric patients who are unable to visit clinics. So far, 300 patients are registered for the DHA’s home-care programme. It is our plan to ensure we have a dedicated geriatric clinic across every primary health centre, including the new ones we build," he said.
Two years ago the DHA announced several projects as part of its Dubai Health Strategy 2013-2025, a section of which is nearing completion in 2015. Al Maidour talks of the two most important of these; the 200-bed Al Jalila Children’s Speciality Hospital and the Trauma Care Centre at Rashid Hospital.
"Developing projects keeping in mind geographical expansion, population growth and access to care is a well thought out plan which we paid attention to while developing our health strategy in 2013 and now we are moving forward in that direction," he said.
He added that four additional Primary health Centres are to be opned in 2015 and by 2025, Dubai will have 40 primary health-care centres, and at present, the DHA has 16 medical fitness centres.
Besides all these expansions and augmentation of the existing health-care infrastructure, Al Maidour feels the bigger challenge for this sector today is changing the mind set of people and getting them to lead healthier lifestyles.
From provision of preventive screening packages at discounted rates to awareness campaign across schools, colleges as well as the public and private sector, DHA has been going the extra mile in reinforcing the importance of healthy living because it believes that the crux of the problem today is lifestyle diseases or non-communicable diseases which can be prevented/managed by leading a healthy lifestyle.
"My message to the community is not to depend on other people to take care of you. Eat healthy, work out and be a productive member of society," said Al Maidour.