Medical tourism in UAE is developing at a supersonic speed because it is one sector that the UAE government is continuously focused on. Due to its location, The Emirates is an easy stop for visitors.

The majority of those who come to the UAE for health tourism are Asian, followed by medical travelers from Arab and Gulf countries, European countries, African nations, and the United State of America, and others.

United Arab Emirates Healthcare System

Dubai has been named as the top destination in the Arab region for medical travelers. Worldwide, Dubai ranked sixth on a list of 46 destinations.

The country is so attractive because of its fast development rate. Equally, the UAE is gaining popularity because of its infrastructure. In the U.A.E., there are five government healthcare regulators: The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance, the Federal Health Insurance Authority, the Dubai Health Authority, and the Health Authority Abu Dhabi.

There are 104 hospitals in the UAE; 32 hospitals are public; 72 hospitals are private. In the UAE, 91 hospitals are JCI accredited.

The Major Hospitals in the United Arab Emirates

Common Treatments in the United Arab Emirates

• Cancer Treatment

• Dental Care

• Neurosurgery

• Cardiac Surgery

• General Surgery

• Fertility Treatment

Cost of Medical Treatments in the United Arab Emirates

Cancer Treatment
Procedure	UK Hospital	UAE
Lung Cancer	£ 19,013.46	£ 19,013.46
Breast Cancer	£ 14,086.67	£ 11,224.42
Colon Cancer	£ 22,829.34	£ 22,829.34
Prostate Cancer	£ 19,038.31	£ 10,273.20
Stomach Cancer	£ 21,703.67	£ 12,936.65
Abdominoperineal Resection	£ 28,556.01	£ 16,361.06
Hemicolectomy	£ 28,556.01	£ 16,551.30
Oral Cancer	£ 6,278.62	£ 6,278.62
Dental Care
Procedure	UK Hospital	UAE
Root canal treatment (single root)	£ 95 - £ 700	£ 207.165
Root canal treatment (premolar)	£ 95 - £ 700	£ 248.60
Root canal treatment (multiple roots)	£ 95 - £ 700	£ 372.898
Laser Teeth Whitening	£ 500 - £ 1500	£ 145.099
Porcelain Veneer	£ 500 - £ 1000	£ 290.198
Zirconia Veneer	£ 100 - £ 400	£ 290.198
Composite Filling (1 surface)	£ 40-£250	£ 51.8211
Composite Filling (2 surfaces)	£ 40 - £ 251	£ 72.5545
Composite Filling (3 surfaces)	£ 40 - £ 252	£ 82.9197
Fertility Procedures
Procedure	UK Hospital	UAE
IVF Cycle	£ 1,500 - £ 4,500	£ 4,441.75
ICSI Cycle	£ 10,000	£ 5,036.21
Intrauterine Insemination (UIU)	£ 250 - £ 1999	£ 1,962.29
Ovulation Induction (OI)	£ 994	£ 533.438
Orthopedic
Procedure	UK Hospital	UAE
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)	£ 4,945 - £ 8,805	£ 6.88843
Unilateral Knee Replacement	£ 11,771 - £ 14,464	£ 9,131.76
Hip Replacement	£ 8,500 - £ 16,800	£ 8,065.48
Knee Arthroscopy	£ 3,944 - £ 5,583	£ 4,565.37
Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF)	£ 7,735	£ 7,417.58
Shoulder Arthroscopy	£ 4,516 - £ 5,047	£ 4,184.28

Malpractice and Liabilities Laws in the United Arab Emirates

“Long and healthy lives” – This is the United Arab Emirates (‘UAE’) Government’s strategy set up by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (the ‘MoHAP’) to reinforce the country’s health system and the efficiency of medical services. The Government intends, through its UAE Vision 2021, to provide equitable access to world-class medical care whilst actively protecting against health hazards through awareness and prevention.

The federal Decree-Law No. 4/2016  (the law’) is the cornerstone for claims on medical liability and the Cabinet decision No. 40/2019  (the ‘Executive Decision’) provides its application, following health strategies set up by the various emirates in the UAE. The main motive of these newly introduced provisions is to define the liability of medical professionals in greater detail, alongside the development of the process for claims for medical malpractice. However, it is not possible to foresee if this recent regulation will have any effect on the sums awarded through these claims for medical malpractice.

Pros

High-quality medical care

• Health care in Dubai and Abu Dhabi is high quality, at least matching the standards of the USA, UK, and other high-earning Western countries. In addition, new hospitals and medical centers are being built in areas that most need them.

Innovative Technology

• Most encouragingly, many of the innovations we’re now seeing are focused on tackling the biggest challenges the health sector is facing: increased competition and soaring patient expectations. From augmented reality (AR) platforms that allow doctors to teleport’ between clinics, to concierge packages providing bespoke medical services, technology is taking UAE healthcare to the cutting edge.

English is widely spoken within private healthcare facilities

• In the UAE, it is largely possible to find English speaking or Arabic speaking doctors.

Wait times

• Private hospitals generally have little-to-no wait times

Cons

Expensive

• Healthcare in the UAE is expensive for a multitude of reasons. The first reason being expats: the population of the UAE is made up overwhelmingly by more expats than Emirati nationals. Because of this, there are more private hospitals and healthcare facilities than the public.

Language

• Those who do not speak Arabic or English may struggle to find a medical professional they can communicate with.

Traveling to the United Arab Emirates 

Entry and Exit Requirements to the United Arab Emirates

30-day visit eligibility

If you are a passport holder of the below country or territory, no advance visa arrangements are required to visit the UAE. Simply disembark your flight at Dubai International airport and proceed to immigration, where your passport will be stamped with a 30-day visit visa-free of charge.

Andorra	Kazakhstan	San Marino
Australia	Macau, China	Singapore
Brunei	Malaysia	Ukraine
Canada	Mauritius	United Kingdom
China	Monaco	Northern Ireland
Hong Kong, China	New Zealand	United States of America
Japan	Republic of Ireland	Vatican City

90-day visit eligibility

If you are a passport holder of one of the below countries or territories, your passport will be stamped with a multiple entry 90-day visit visa that's valid for 6months from the date of issue, and for a stay of 90 days in total. Citizens of the below European countries are also entitled to apply for a prearranged visit visa if their 90-day visa on arrival has been fully utilized.

180-day visit eligibility

If you hold a Mexican passport, you’re eligible for a multiple entry 180-day visit visa that's valid for 6 months from the date of issue, and for a stay of 180 days in total.

Statistics for Medical Tourism in the UAE

UAE promotes medical tourism effectively. Medical tourism is viable only when a country is capable of providing high-quality medical services. And several other ancillary sectors too will benefit from this industry. This is reflected in the experiences of various countries that started out early. Singapore, Thailand, and Germany are the most popular destinations for people from the Gulf and the Arab world.

In the Arab world, Egypt topped the list of medical tourism destinations in the 1960s and 1970s; Jordan overtook it in the 1980s. Investing in health care to tap into medical tourism is not possible without government-supported, strategic investment plans. The sector can then contribute to a country’s development and can improve the quality of health-care services offered to citizens and residents.

Information Sources:

[1] UAEHealthcare System – The UAE Healthcare Sector

[2] UAEHealth System -  UAE’s New Regulation on Medical Liability and Its Impact on the Health System

[3] Flight from UAE- Flight Timings between Los Angles and Dubai

[4] The UAE Visa - UAE Visa Information

[5] UAEMedical Tourism - How UAE became a medical tourism hub

[6] UAE Fertility Treatment Prices - Compare UK IVF Prices

[7] UAE Dental Care Prices – Dental Treatment

[8] UK Dental Care - NHS dental charges

[9] UK Fertility Treatment Prices - Compare UK IVF Prices

[10] UK Dental Care Prices - How much are NHS dental charges?