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Dubai: The Health Ministry abolished its organisational structure on Thursday, replacing it with a new structure that is better-equipped to deal with its new role as regulator of the federal healthcare system.
The restructuring comes as a way to improve healthcare services and standards in the UAE, which many have criticised as lagging behind the times. Previously, the ministry was responsible for regulation and providing healthcare services. The services role will now be performed by the Emirates Health Authority (EHA).
Humaid Al Qutami, health minister, told the press the new structure would come in on Tuesday.
"Implementation will start April 1," he said.
Under the new structure, the ministry will have three offices responsible for administering healthcare services and standards in the UAE. The three offices are Support Services, including human resources and legal, which will be headed by Dr Salem Al Darmaki; Licensing, including drug registration and accreditation, which will be headed by Dr Ameen Al Amiri; and Health Policies, including disease control, health insurance and regulations, which will be headed by Dr Mahmoud Fikree.
The chief executive officers of these three offices will come under the director-general of the ministry.
Al Qutami added present ministry staff would be absorbed into the new system.
Al Darmaki, the new CEO of Support Services, said the restructuring serves to maximise the ministry's new role.
"The Ministry of Health will remain as regulator and policy-maker. The EHA will be provider of medical and health care," he said.
He added the EHA, which is pending approval by the Federal National Council, would be responsible for the running of ministry hospitals and healthcare facilities.
The ministry runs 13 hospitals in the Northern Emirates, including Al Qasimi Hospital, and 86 primary healthcare centres in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
Until the EHA is fully established, an executive committee will take over the services-provider role.
The private sector, however, will come under the Licensing office.
Enforcing the ministry's regulations will fall to the medical district offices, which will report to the director-general, Dr Ali Shakar. Al Darmaki said the districts would administer policies at the local level.
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