Abu Dhabi healthcare sector given new Emiratisation target for 2025

At least 5,000 Emiratis must be employed across the sector in professions including practitioners and human resources

All healthcare facilities in Abu Dhabi have been given a new Emiratisation goal to achieve by 2025. Pawan Singh / The National

The healthcare industry in Abu Dhabi has been given a new Emiratisation target of employing 5,000 UAE citizens by the end of 2025.

The Department of Health - Abu Dhabi (DoH) on Monday announced the Tawteen targets within the sector, calling on hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centres to increase the number of Emiratis employed.

It was not explained whether individual hospitals and health centres would have their own targets set or whether it is a goal for the sector as a whole.

All skilled professions from doctors, nurses and extended healthcare positions to administrative jobs such as accounting, finance, legal and human resources are options for Emiratis looking to work in the sector.

"The Tawteen targets were implemented in healthcare facilities in Abu Dhabi to empower national competencies, allowing them to further contribute to the healthcare system, in order to enhance its outcomes and establish a competitive knowledge-based economy in the Emirate," said Dr Noura Al Ghaithi, DoH undersecretary.

"This comes in line with the DoH efforts to support Tawteen initiatives in the healthcare sector to retain qualified national medical professionals, further cementing Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading global healthcare destination.”

The DoH will support all facilities in trying to achieve the target, utilising the Nafis scheme and associated tools for Emiratis looking to work in the healthcare sector.

Ghannam Al Mazrouei, secretary general of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, praised the DoH’s efforts to increase Emiratisation rates and monitor healthcare facilities to achieve the Tawteen targets.

Nafis is a federal programme aimed at increasing the number of Emiratis working in the private sector.

It includes the Medical and Healthcare Sector Cadres Development programme, which offers educational scholarships to citizens to enable them to obtain the qualifications required to work in health.

The targets for the healthcare sector are in addition to those which were announced for the private sector.

In March, the Cabinet approved a decision to raise Emiratisation rates to 2 per cent annually for skilled jobs in the private sector, for companies with 50 or more employees.

The current goal is to achieve 10 per cent by 2026.