DHA Receives 6,681 Requests for a New Healthcare Professional License in 2020

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 10 November 2020:  The Dubai Health Authority’s Health Regulation Sector has received approximately 6,681 new requests for a DHA healthcare professional license since the beginning of the year to date, said a top health official.
This brings the number of licensed health professionals in Dubai to approximately 39,000. 

In terms of health facilities, there are approximately 3,400 licensed facilities and 237 licenses were newly issued in Dubai. These include 77 Outpatient Clinics, 1 Hospital, 1 Day Surgery Centre, 71 Pharmacies and 13 Rehabilitation Centers.
The complete process was electronic using the Sheryan system for licensing.  

Dr. Marwan Al Mulla, CEO of Health Regulation Sector at the DHA said, “We have proactively worked towards enhancing and developing our e-licensing system. All the licensing services- issuance and renewal of professional licenses as well as issuance and renewal of health facility licenses is completely online. This system has been in place since 2011 and last year, we completely revamped the system using AI technology to make the system much more effective and faster. This is in line with the Dubai Paperless Strategy, the vision of Smart Dubai and in line with DHA’s strategy.”

Al Mulla said, “The e-system for healthcare professionals includes doctors, dentists, nurses, allied health professionals as well clinics, pharmacies and hospitals. Our system aims to redefine the way medical licensing is processed in Dubai.”

Al Mulla said the system directly benefits around 39,000 licensed health care professionals and 3,400 licensed health facilities in Dubai. 

Dr. Hisham Al Hammadi, Director of Health Licensing at the DHA said, “We are proud that this system has developed so well and is powered with the latest technology to provide health professionals with efficient and easy e-licensing services.  Health professionals can register themselves from anywhere in the world and the process will only take five minutes to determine eligibility.”
The system uses automated Professional Qualification Review (PQR), a verification system and the AI enabled system identifies the specialty of the professional, asks him questions related to his field and completes verification in no time.  The process of reactivating a license has been reduced from two weeks to 24 hours.

Al Hammadi said that registered healthcare professionals can keep their registration active in the system for up to five years and it is accessible by all leading health care groups and hospitals who can invite any doctor from the registered database to practice in Dubai. 
He added that the e-licensing system for healthcare professionals and facilities operating in Dubai is highly efficient and helps fulfil the health and wellness needs of the emirate’s growing population.