SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT - UAE Interact

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T253HEALTHThe UAE has a comprehensive, government-funded health serviceand a rapidly developing private health sector that delivers a highstandard of health care to the population. Most of the infectiousdiseases like malaria, measles and poliomyelitis that were onceendemic in the UAE have been eradicated, while pre-natal andpost-natal care is on a par with the world's most developedcountries: the new-born (neonate) mortality rate has been reducedto 5.54 per 1000 and infant mortality to 7.7 per 1000. Maternalmortality rates have dropped to 0.01 for every 100,000, primarilydue to the fact that almost all deliveries in the country take placein hospitals under direct medical supervision.As a consequence of this high standard of care at all stages ofthe healthcare system, life expectancy at birth in the UAE, at78.3 years, has reached levels similar to those in Europe andNorth America.To date, health care in the UAE has, by and large, been fundedby the Government. As with other sectors, this emphasis isevolving and public-private partnerships are to the fore in theGovernment’s efforts to meet the high costs of satisfying expecteddemand from a rising population in a challenging market and toincrease effectiveness and efficiency. In any case, the perceptionis that private-sector investment in health care is highly beneficialfor patients as it creates competition and encourages governmentmedical facilities to improve their standards.The major direction for public policy within this area is thedevelopment of the organisational and legal frameworks basedon best practice in order to upgrade the private and public sectorhealth service capabilities and formulate a public policy that setsthe priorities for health services development within the sector.Pre-natal and postnatalcare in the UAEis on a par withthe world’s mostdeveloped countries:the new-born mortalityrate has been reducedto 5.54 per 1000and infant mortalityto 7.7 per 1000.NEW FRAMEWORK IN ABU DHABIHealthcare delivery in Abu Dhabi is undergoing a significanttransition that will affect the entire spectrum of stakeholders:patients (citizens and expatriates), providers and those responsiblefor planning, assuring the quality of services and financing the@www.uaeinteract.com/health