Dubai, United Arab Emirates, January 31, 2023: The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) highlighted key areas of focus in terms of healthcare investment in Dubai until 2025 at the ongoing Arab Health Exhibition and Congress. 

 

The DHA’s Health Investment arm highlighted the details during the launch of this year’s edition of the Dubai Health Investment Guide, which is a ready-reckoner for investors to understand healthcare investment opportunities across various specialties that are needed at present and in the future. It provides an overview of Dubai’s health sector, areas of demand, key drivers and how to invest in Dubai.

 

H.E. Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi, Director-General of the DHA said: “In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and as per the directions of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, we at the DHA, will continue to expand and develop the health sector with an aim of creating a dynamic, investment-friendly sector that provides both residents and medical tourists with easy access to the highest quality of patient-centered care across a wide range of medical specialties. 

Al Ketbi added: “The aim of DHA’s dedicated health investment arm is to evaluate investment opportunities, ensure high-quality healthcare investment, provide investors with support and guidance so that they can invest in areas of need and future demand, this benefits investors and ensures the health sector provides community members and medical tourists with high-quality care across multiple specialties.”

 

The DHA’s health investment sector has developed this year’s edition of the Dubai Health Investment Guide and has highlighted key focus areas of investment until 2025 and beyond.

 

Al Ketbi highlighted that the aim of the Dubai Health Investment Guide 2023 is to provide investors with detailed information on key priority areas of investment in health and to provide them with a detailed overview of the health sector so that they can make viable investments. 

Al Ketbi emphasized that health investment in areas of need and future demand benefits investors, helps create a dynamic and robust health sector, and provides community members and visitors with access to the highest quality of specialized and accessible care.

 

Dr Ibtesam Al Bastaki, Director of Investments and PPP’s at the DHA highlighted that Dubai’s strategic location, investment-friendly climate, future-outlook, diverse and growing population, the influx of medical tourists, support and guidance received by investors are some of the reasons that make the Emirate a favourable investment destination. 

 

Al Bastaki said: “Investment facilitation and ease of doing business have resulted in increased FDI inflows into the country, thereby endorsing Dubai’s status of being a preferred investment destination amongst global investors. Despite COVID-19, we saw steady FDI inflows in the health sector.”

In 2021, the FDI inflows that Dubai attracted, as per the Dubai’s Department of Economic Development was 37.2 million US dollars in healthcare from countries such as  USA, India, UK, France, Sweden and Japan. 

Al Bastaki highlighted that post COVID-19 key areas of focus include: innovation, digital health medical equipment, mental health, MedTech start-ups, urgent care, long-term care, rehabilitation and home care.

 

She said: “These are the key areas of focus for the next three to five years. In MedTech we are keen on attracting MedTech start-ups and companies in medical devices, diagnostics and digital health. In terms of digital health, the aim is to empower patients with as much convenience as possible by providing them with telemedicine services as well as empowering them by providing them with access to their medical information and devices that will help them monitor their health on a daily basis. 

“Homecare is a service we want to particularly tailor for the ageing population, to provide them with care as well as regular timely follow-ups in the comfort of their homes.”

She said the Dubai has seen a tremendous growth in the health sector and that the sector continues to attract foreign direct investment. 

Dubai has 4482 private health facilities.  In the last five years, the percentage growth of health facilities is about 45 per cent.  

 

Along with the growth in the number of healthcare facilities, Dubai has also witnessed an impressive 61% increase in licensed medical professionals to reach 55,208 in 2022.

 

The DHA’s projections for 2023 and beyond, estimate a growth of 10-15% for medical professionals and 3-6% for facilities.

 

According to the latest Medical Tourism Index, Dubai ranks No. 1 in the Middle East and North Africa and No. 6 in the world for medical tourism, with the city ranking No. 5 globally on the sub-index of Quality of Facilities & Services. Dubai’s emergence as a significant player in the private healthcare sector is driven by its high standards and regulations, making it a popular destination for medical tourism thanks to high-quality healthcare. 

 

Al Bastaki highlighted that streamlined and clear regulatory policies supported by online professional and facility license procedures, have also greatly contributed to attracting both high-quality professionals and renowned international health facilities to Dubai. 

 

She said the Dubai Health Investment Guide provides reliable and robust information on demand of health services, supply, and capacity gaps to enable investments in strategic opportunities and specialised health services. This helps enhance competencies of the overall healthcare sector in Dubai and increases awareness of the economic viability as well as helps attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and local investment.