RAS AL KHAIMAH, (Pakistan Point News - 05th May, 2020) The current COVID-19 pandemic has brought home just how important it is for countries to have the most up-to-date healthcare facilities and Ras Al Khaimah’s health sector is a prime example of how continued investment can create an ecosystem that is equipped to deal with global health emergencies.
Thanks to the attention of the UAE Government, Ras Al Khaimah’s healthcare sector is now ranked among the world’s best, according to global indices and international scoring systems.
The continuous evolution of the sector in Ras Al Khaimah and the wider UAE was a priority established by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, at the very inception of the union in 1971.
Today, the sector is being continuously developed under the direction of H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah. Its progress is being driven by the efforts of the Ministry of Health and Prevention, which oversees five government hospitals in the emirate: Shaam Hospital, Ibrahim bin Hamad Obaidullah Hospital, Ibrahim Obaidullah Hospital for the Elderly, Saqr Hospital, and the new Abdullah bin Omran Hospital for Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
The public healthcare sector is also home to 16 centres for Primary care, dentistry, family medicine and preventive medicine. Distributed across all regions of the emirate, these facilities are equipped with the latest medical technology, specialised staff and advanced laboratories to provide healthcare services in an array of specialities.
The sector also provides promising investment opportunities as a result of the substantial economic and social expansion of Ras Al Khaimah.
RAK Hospital, which was inaugurated by Sheikh Saud in 2007, is a prime example of the success of private healthcare in Ras Al Khaimah, having attained a renowned reputation for its high levels of service. The hospital was the recipient of the Sheikh Khalifa Award for Excellence in the business Sector, the only healthcare institution in the private sector that has won the honour.
The emirate also includes a network of private hospitals and specialised clinics that provide a variety of services and medical specialties to the population. The desire of the Ras Al Khaimah Ruler to promote advanced ophthalmology care in the emirate saw him inaugurate a specialised eye care facility, the RAK Eye Care Centre, which provides an array of treatments and therapies, many of which are offered for the first time in the region and considered the best in the middle East.
Among the newest and most important medical facilities is the Sheikh Khalifa Specialty Hospital, one of the initiatives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Opened in 2015 under the management of Seoul National University Hospital, South Korea, the facility provides superior treatment services in oncology, neurosurgery and cardiovascular surgery.
Sheikh Saud identified the need for a continuous supply of highly qualified and specialised medical graduates to ensure the success and stability of the healthcare system, which led to the creation of the RAK Medical & Health Sciences University. Adhering to the highest academic standards, the university enjoys a prominent position in medical university rankings across the region.
As part of the UAE's proactive efforts to combat the coronavirus outbreak and limit its spread, the emirate is home to a drive-through National Screening Centre, which is operated by a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company.
The centre provides prompt and efficient examination services using the latest technologies and a skilled group of healthcare professionals that provide testing services for the community in line with the highest international standards. Examinations take just five minutes and the centre can test up to 500 people per day. It also houses six clinical rooms, including two examination rooms, two laboratory rooms, an operating room and a store.
