Procedures begin to set up FHA

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 29 Dec 2009

Executive procedures have been commenced by the UAE Ministry of Health (MoH) to establish the recently announced Federal Health Authority (FHA), headquartered in Sharjah.The health minister is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the new federal authority.

The board of directors under the Minister has been selected to operate the new health entity.The new body with highest global standards will operate and supervise over 14 government hospitals and primary health centres across Dubai and the Northern Emirates on behalf of the MoH, according to the Minister of Health Dr Hanif Hassan Ali.The UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan approved the FHA on Dec.22, under the law No. 13/2009 to establish the facility.

He said, the MoH will no longer be managing the daily operations of the federal government's hospitals and other health centres, instead the new FHA will take over the executive responsibilities under the federal umbrella. The MoH will only handle legislation, regulation, licensing and controlling procedures.

"The new authority will rehabilitate the public health institutes, getting international accreditation to provide medical services, train their medical staff, and conduct medical research programmes. It will establish new clinics, with administrative offices in more locations across the UAE and abroad," he added.According to Dr Ali, the ministry is now focusing purely on legislation and regulation. Increasing the efficiency and competitiveness of the nation's healthcare system is a major agenda of the FHA with a key step in the government's strategy to ensure excellent medical care for all.

"Meanwhile, the Health Authority-Abu Dhabi (HAAD) and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) will not be reporting to the FHA. However, ensuring integration of health services for the residents, the MoH will work on specific co-ordination system between the federal health authority and the Dubai and Abu Dhabi health authorities," he explained.

"Decentralising of the health system in the country, the FHA will work to maximise outcomes in the context of careful expenditure. Strengthening the systems for treatment and disease prevention, the FHA will be responsible for co-ordinating with local health authorities, universities, colleges, and the international hospitals to develop a successful medical system in the UAE," said the minister.