Dubai Health Authority spends Dh10bn on health a year

DUBAI // The Dubai Health Authority has for the first time released an account of annual spending to provide a baseline figure before the introduction of compulsory insurance for workers.

The figures show about Dh10 billion was spent on health care in 2012, with more than half going to the private sector, it revealed on Thursday.

The figures, released on the final day of the Arab Health Congress, also showed that 74 per cent was spent on treatment, 20 per cent on medicine and equipment and 6 per cent on preventive services. Dh5.8bn was spent on private health care.

The DHA said it released the 2012 figures ahead of the rollout of the emirate's compulsory health insurance scheme.

Dr Haidar Al Yousuf, director of the health funding department at the DHA, said the accounts had been released to provide a comparative figure before the changes.

“Like any advanced healthcare system we need to show annual spending,” Dr Al Yousuf said.

In Dubai, males account for 76 per cent of the population, but only 53 per cent of total health expenditure.

But children under five years old and residents aged over 65 together represent 6 per cent of the population, but benefit from 18 per cent of total health spending.

The aim is to show the current yearly healthcare expenditure, how it is funded and how it could change as employers provide insurance for every employee in the emirate, the authority said.

“Employers contribute to less than half of the total annual healthcare bill in the emirate but the distribution of spending should even out following the rollout of the law,” said Dr Al Yousuf.

“Spending by employers should increase. At the moment it is only about 45 per cent.”

Of the Dh10bn, Dh8.5bn was spent on health care in Dubai, while the rest was used on health care outside the emirate.

The results show the share between private and government was about 70:30, in line with measures set out by the authorities.

Dr Al Yousuf said that after the health insurance law was introduced, overall spending should go up as more people were covered.

The DHA is planning to publish the health accounts each year.

The first stage of the health insurance law is to be introduced by October, with all employees to be covered by June 2016.

The accounts were released by Essa Al Maidoor, director general of the DHA.