Workers in Dubai 'struggle to access expat healthcare'

Wednesday, 20 January 2010 09:49

Low-wage workers in Dubai are struggling to access healthcare in the country, a new report from Datamonitor has found.
According to the company, Dubai has failed to keep pace with neighbouring Abu Dhabi in terms of healthcare investment and as a result, many low-wage workers are exposed to unmanageable healthcare costs.

The emirate, which has seen its debt levels soar since the start of the economic crisis in 2008, had planned to follow Abu Dhabi's lead in enforcing compulsory healthcare insurance for all residents, but the project has stalled due to the costs of implementation.

For [Dubai] expatriates, especially those on very low wages, the postponement of the health insurance reforms will mean that access to healthcare will remain patchy, since they will have to pay out-of-pocket for treatment,’ said Ruch de Silva, Datamonitor's healthcare consulting analyst for the Middle East and North Africa.

Those planning a move to the emirate may benefit from investing in a personal expat medical insurance policy to ensure there are no such gaps in health cover.