ABU DHABI // A federal health insurance system and equal benefits for UAE nationals from different emirates are some of the topics that members of the public hope will be raised at the Federal National Council.
“Health insurance is not available across the UAE,” said Mustafa Al Qahtani, a 35-year-old assistant head of judicial registry at Abu Dhabi Judicial Department.
“It is only available locally within each emirate, so my health insurance only covers Abu Dhabi.”
Dubai also has its own local insurance system, while Sharjah provides it only for those in work.
Other emirates do not even have an insurance system.
“For nationals as a whole it does not exist [a countrywide health insurance scheme]. There are many nationals in other emirates who do not carry any form of health insurance,” said Mr Al Qahtani.
Public hospitals also suffer shortages, in his opinion. “So what solutions will they [FNC candidates] offer?” he said.
Mr Al Qahtani’s colleague, 30-year-old Mariam Al Buraiki, said her parents had to pay half the cost of their medical treatment in Abu Dhabi, because their passports were from Dubai, but if they were from the capital it would be free.
“We are one country. If I live my whole life in Abu Dhabi, why should I go to Dubai for services?” she said.
“For instance, it is not easy if you have a Dubai passport to receive a house or a scholarship in Abu Dhabi.”
While Ms Al Buraiki did get an Abu Dhabi passport after marrying a man from the capital, she got divorced five years ago and so went to the diwan to request a home that the government provides to divorced women, “because my parents’ home is very small and humble”.
But her request was rejected because she had no children.
“Then two years later, I requested a piece of land [the government grants land to Emiratis] and I only received a response two years after that,” she said. “My request was rejected and they did not provide any reason for the rejection.”
Abu Dhabi FNC candidate Ammar Al Khajeh said if elected, he would suggest a federal health insurance law to cover the entire country.
With regard to land grants and benefits across the Emirates, he said: “It is true that the Emirates are one body but each emirate is independent and has its own ruler. The rulers agreed on shared matters but each emirate has its own local affairs and distributes lands or other benefits accordingly.”
Mr Al Khajeh said he would also propose that heritage was added as a school subject, so elders could teach children ethics, manners and good traits.
“Any problem could be solved by educating youngsters against negativities,” he said.
hdajani@thenational.ae