The long waiting time to get a doctor’s opinion, lack of specialist care and communication problems are pushing many UAE residents and expats to seek medical treatment overseas, Abu Dhabi newspaper The National reports.
The daily cited a survey conducted by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and the Dubai Statistics Centre with over 2,000 people, including around 500 expats, who travelled overseas for medical treatment between 2009 and the end of 2011. The survey looked at reasons behind the high numbers of Emiratis and expats seeking medical treatment abroad.
Over half (56%) of the respondents blamed the lack of medical equipment and skills in their home country and 8% said they went directly abroad without prior investigation of their domestic medical care options.
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