ABU DHABI // A scheme launched in 2006 to provide every resident in the emirate with mandatory health insurance as been one of the health authority’s biggest achievements, according to its director general.
“Clearly, insurance has been a major achievement for the emirate of Abu Dhabi. One of the biggest successes in the Health Authority Abu Dhabi has been the implementation of health insurance,” said Maha Barakat, the head of Haad.
“Some of the countries in the region are looking to Abu Dhabi for a model in insurance systems.
“Since 2007, Haad has gone from crawling to sprinting in seven years, whereas it has taken other healthcare environments decades.”
The Abu Dhabi Government requires that all workers in the emirate and their dependants be given health insurance by their sponsor. There is a separate comprehensive insurance programme for Emiratis.
“There is no doubt in my mind that the UAE, and Abu Dhabi in particular, are at the forefront of health insurance in the GCC,” said Andrew Woodward, group chief underwriting officer for Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company.
“This kind of progress in the area of health insurance is particularly important when you consider that so much of the population are expatriates. It gives peace of mind to those coming into a different country to live and work that they will have access to reliable health facilities.”
Abu Dhabi introduced mandatory health care for all workers in 2006.
By 2012, 98 per cent of residents in Abu Dhabi were covered by insurance.
“I think it is an incredible achievement,” said Mr Woodward. “When you deal with so many people from so many different countries and so many different backgrounds – from workers on building sites to international lawyers – to implement a scheme of that size is extraordinary really.
“Abu Dhabi has helped set the benchmark in healthcare insurance for the region.
“It has been a learning success and it has paved the way for other emirates.”
jbell@thenational.ae