The UAE government is endorsing a series of federal decrees and amendments targeting regulations concerning healthcare professions, providers, and veterinary medicine. The initiative hopes to regulate non-medical personnel and pharmacists across diverse UAE healthcare sectors such as nursing, laboratories, medical physics, functional therapy, physiotherapy, aesthetics, anesthesia, audiology, and radiology. The decree will heighten penalties for healthcare workers who operate without proper licensing.
The updated UAE healthcare standards
Additionally, the new legal provisions introduce an updated set of ethical and professional standards for healthcare experts in the UAE. Integral to these amendments is the establishment of a national registry of licensed healthcare professionals in the country.
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The law unequivocally prohibits individuals from participating in any health-related profession without obtaining explicit authorization from the health authority, as specified in the federal decree and its related regulations and decisions. To acquire a license, individuals must hold a bachelor’s degree or an officially recognized qualification in a health-related field. Additionally, healthcare professionals must demonstrate good conduct and physical fitness to effectively carry out their duties.
A national medical register
Moreover, the government will establish a national medical register for healthcare professionals under the Ministry of Health and Prevention. Individual Health Authorities are expected to establish their own registries linked to this national repository.
Those not meeting criteria, using fraudulent means, or have improper licensing face penalties of imprisonment and fines from AED 50,000 to AED 100,000. The Health Authority can close facilities that violate these regulations. Those practicing without a license but meeting criteria could be fined up to AED 100,000. Such facilities may also be shut down by the Health Authority.
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