The UAE could soon be a much sought-after destination for international healthcare companies following a series of new reforms announced by the government, according to Dr Azad Moopen, founder chairman and managing director, Aster DM Healthcare.
Moopen, widely considered to be a doyen of the healthcare industry in the UAE, also added a word of caution that since there is over saturation in the healthcare market, new players may find it tough to get established.
“These changes (policy measures) will have a very positive impact on the healthcare sector in the country. Earlier, the population of the country was comparatively younger. However, with such policies being implemented and with more people investing their resources as well as time in the UAE – choosing the UAE as their home country – we can expect to see an increase in not just the population but a wider age group of people in the country,” Moopen (pictured below) told Arabian Business in an exclusive interview.
“People of an older age group will choose the UAE as a country to continue to reside and retire, which will lead to a considerable increase and need for a wider array of healthcare services.
“This can lead to not just Indian but global companies seeing the potential in the UAE healthcare sector and ultimately establish the country as the destination of choice for world-class healthcare,” he said.
Recently, the UAE has taken several policy measures such as allowing long-term stay visas, remote working options for professionals, allowing virtual company licences, the ‘Retire in Dubai’ scheme and 100 percent ownership for onshore companies to attract more investments, talent and cash-rich people into the country.
Moopen said although the current policy changes could attract several new players into the healthcare sector, they may not find the going easy, at least initially.
“There is over saturation in the healthcare market and new players may find it a little tough to establish,” he said.
The $1.2 billion Aster group began its journey in Dubai with a single clinic in 1987 and now operates three hospital chains – Aster, Medcare and Access – across the GCC and the Aster DM Healthcare chain of hospitals and other medical services in India.
Moopen also stressed the need for focusing on boosting the quaternary care – advanced levels of medicine which are highly specialised and not widely accessed – in the UAE on an urgent basis.
“While the UAE healthcare sector has flourished over the years, there is still tremendous potential in the sector, as has been outlined in the vision of the Rulers of the UAE for the country,” he said.
“Currently, people travel outside the country to avail these (quaternary care) services. However, with reforms and policies, we can see a shift and change in this, where healthcare providers would be encouraged to develop quaternary and specialty care centres locally which will encourage people to choose the UAE as a destination for high end surgeries, transplants, cancer care among others.
“There is also a requirement to focus on medical education and research,” Moopen told Arabian Business.
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