Two major government-run hospitals in Abu Dhabi emirate will accept medical insurance plans held by non-Emiratis for the first time.
Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi city and Tawam Hospital in Al Ain will offer their services to residents on any insurance plan.
Treatment was previously limited to patients with the Thiqa plan, which is solely for Emiratis, along with emergency cases and people referred by private hospitals.
Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha), which runs the capital’s publicly owned hospitals, said the “coverage expansion is in line with Abu Dhabi’s vision to provide quality healthcare to all its citizens and residents”.
“Both UAE citizens and residents will now be able to access both SKMC and Tawam Hospital’s services,” it said.
Sheikh Khalifa is one of the largest hospitals in the Emirates, with 531 beds and a highly regarded paediatric centre that includes a critical care and emergency unit.
Tawam Hospital houses the national cancer treatment centre, alongside many other services.
Medical cover is mandatory for Dubai and Abu Dhabi residents, though the level of insurance can limit treatment to certain conditions, hospitals and clinics.
In 2018, Abu Dhabi’s main maternity unit, Corniche Hospital, resumed the treatment of residents, four years after limiting services to Emiratis when it ran out of room.
“This announcement means that our SKMC’s centres of excellence, such as our specialist and world-class paediatric services, will be available to more insurance types,” said Dr Safa Azaat Al Mustafa, acting chief executive of SKMC.
“In addition to strengthening Seha’s integrated healthcare model, it will broaden healthcare access for both adults and children across the emirate.”
Saeed Jaber Kuwaiti, chief executive at Tawam Hospital, said the move would ensure people on any insurance plan would have access to “Seha’s world-class services, such as Tawam Hospital’s Oncology Centre, to even more patients from across Abu Dhabi”.
