Private healthcare providers to fill vacuum

Private healthcare providers have seized the opportunity to fill the vacuum created by the lack of adequate healthcare facilities around mega projects in new Dubai.

The Saudi German Hospital Group, now building a $200 million (Dh734 million) hospital in Al Barsha area, is one of the early entrants.

One-stop shop

"This will be a one-stop shop for healthcare needs," says Engr Sobhi A. Batterjee, Group President and Chief Executive, Saudi German Hospital Group. "We do not sublet anything. From investigations to open heart surgeries, everything will be provided under this dome."

The first phase of the 300-bed project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2009, after which the group will begin construction of six speciality 50-bed hospitals. "We will first build the hospital and then gauge the demand before building the speciality centres. We have an idea of the demand, but we want to be accurate," says Batterjee.

The speciality centres are most likely to include a heart centre, a spinal centre and an arthroplasty centre. The one-million-square-foot project, which takes up a quarter of Healthcare City in area, is one of the largest healthcare developments in Asia.

"We will be the only private hospital in the Gulf to provide radiotherapy. It is a huge investment, but it helps reduce the load faced by government hospitals that provide free treatment," he says.

Batterjee said their main advantages are speed and access to expertise.

"Our doctors, nurses and technicians will have accommodation within the premises itself. In case of an emergency, the patient will get quick access to a doctor, since doctors won’t be scattered all over town."

Future plans

Dubai Health Authority’s plans for new Dubai include:

• Three public hospitals with 600-bed capacity in Al Barsha
• 400-bed Jebel Ali Emergency Centre between Shaikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road
• Three health centres
• Group of community centres
• Hatta Hospital by June

Walk-in hospitals provide relief

Several private hospitals and clinics provide emergency and surgical facilities in the Jumeirah area.

Dubai-based Emirates Hospital is one such hospital that offers emergency services at its 24-hour walk-in clinic, according to a press release.

The hospital has both primary healthcare and surgical facilities and offers treatment for fever,

earache, diarrhoea or vomiting.

Manchester Clinic

The Manchester Clinic provides healthcare services to individual, families and corporate members.

The clinic, established by Dr Nabeel Mitry in 1994, provides a comprehensive range of medical, surgical and dental facilities.

It has 10 clinics with special expertise under one roof, including operating room facilities. All investigations are carried out on the premises.