The Department of Health in Abu Dhabi will no longer issue new licenses for general healthcare clinics in the capital from January 1.
The DoH said the decision excluded licenses for clinics located in construction sites, hotels, schools, sports and social clubs, and companies.
The move is part of standards that will be rolled out in the new year under efforts to improve access to quality health care. Only healthcare facilities that meet the new standards will be licensed by DoH.
"Our newly adopted Primary Care Standard is very patient-centric," said Mohammed Al Hameli, acting under-secretary at DoH. "It will enhance our community healthcare offering from several points of view: disease prevention, health maintenance, patient counselling, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic diseases."
Hospitals and healthcare facilities in Abu Dhabi wishing to provide primary healthcare services must meet the new standards listed by DoH and submit a request to include this service on their Clinical Support Services List in the Health Facility Licenses system at DoH.
