The ministry will become the regulator of healthcare services under the new health strategy for 2008 to 2010, which includes unifying healthcare policies and offering more medical specialities.
Humaid Mohammad Obaid Al Qutami, Minister of Health, said: "We seek to transform the ministry from being a service provider to one with more strategic responsibility. The ministry should focus on developing rules and regulations that govern the healthcare sector."
He added that medical services would come under the Emirates Health Authority, which would operate independently at both financial and administrative levels.
The strategic plan applies only to the northern emirates as Abu Dhabi and Dubai have their own health authorities.
Dr Ali Shakar, Undersecretary at the ministry, told Gulf News the country's federal strategic plan would not interfere with the other health authorities' plans, namely Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but instead would complement each other.
"We have a collaboration board between all three authorities," he said. "There will be no difference in standards between the ministry and [the other] authorities."
Network
The plan aims to ensure medical services to all UAE nationals and residents, promote best international practices, enhance preventive medicine to combat the spread of epidemics and infectious diseases, increase the community's awareness of services and how to benefit from them.
The initiatives include building an electronic network connecting hospitals and healthcare centres in the UAE, building a medical archiving system and national health database in association with the UAE e-Government, and developing a comprehensive training programme for ministry staff.
Al Qutami said the strategy also includes making sure hospitals and other healthcare facilities meet international standards and accreditation, improving links with international healthcare providers, and upgrading and introducing new laboratory services.
Public hospitals are expected to become self-managing by 2010 with operational and financial independence.
They will also work on strengthening the local workforce "by developing second and third generations of medical experts".
"The ministry's ultimate objective is to lay the foundation for sustainable development within the healthcare sector, which follows international best practices. Building and sustaining the country's medical expertise is high on our agenda," he added.
The ministry aims to complete more than 25 per cent of the tasks before the end of 2008. To achieve the objectives, the ministry has developed key performance indicators (KPI) that would track the project's progress.
Independent authority to provide services
Dr Ali Shakar, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health, told Gulf News the Ministry of Health would no longer play the dual role of regulator and healthcare service provider under the new strategic plan.
"The ministry will only be the regulator of bodies. The Emirates Health Authority will be the provider of service," he said.
Currently, the ministry sets medical and healthcare regulations for private and public hospitals in the UAE, while running 13 public hospitals in the northern emirates.
Under the plan, the Emirates Health Authority, to be chaired by Health Minister Humaid Mohammad Obaid Al Qutami, will be responsible for administering public hospitals and other healthcare services in the UAE, in cooperation with other health authorities.
Regulation of federal healthcare standards for the private and public sectors will remain with the ministry.
Autor(en)/Author(s): Nina Muslim
Quelle/Source: Gulf News, 12.08.2007
