The UAE’s recent decision to introduce a new five-year visa for expat retirees older than 55 is “very good” for the UAE’s healthcare sector, which will benefit from a new age bracket which is currently minimally represented in the country, according to Dr. Azad Moopen, chairman and managing director of Aster DM Healthcare.
Speaking to Arabian Business this week, Dr. Moopen said that, at the moment, the vast majority – approximately 85 percent – of UAE residents are between the ages of 25 and 55.
“These are considered to be healthy, young adults,” he said. “Beyond that, over 60, you [start] to decay and medical requirements go up.”
In most countries, Dr. Moopen said, 80 percent of an individual’s medical expenditures take place in the last 10 years of life.
“You’ll have one illness after another, and hospitalisations,” he said. “That’s not here in the UAE. But if more and older expats stay back in the UAE, that is something that is going to be very good for the health sector. Age-related illnesses are very limited here.”
Although he declined to give figures, Dr. Moopen said the “major income” from its hospitals in other markets – particularly India – come from older patients.
“That’s a major income stream for any hospital around the world,” he said.
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