What changed in law, policy & day-to-day practice (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Federal)
Updated: 8 Oct 2025 (Dubai)
Dubai issued a comprehensive Public Health Law redefining roles and placing explicit duties on Health Service Providers. Key obligations include: immediate notification to DHA of communicable diseases, reporting test results and disease-related deaths, following DHA circulars/protocols, protecting patient confidentiality, and taking preventive measures—“subject to liability.” (dlp.dubai.gov.ae)
Why it matters: clinics must ensure their infection-control SOPs and reporting workflows align with the law’s notification and privacy requirements. (Law text—definitions, duties, domains: food/consumer products, cemeteries, etc.). (dlp.dubai.gov.ae)
DHA’s “Standards for Interoperability and Data Exchange (v2)” took effect 2 Jul 2025. Facilities integrating health IT must support HL7 v2, and should support FHIR and IHE profiles (MHD, XDS.b, PIX/PDQ, etc.). Map your EMR/vendor roadmap accordingly.
Action: ask IT to confirm HL7 v2 + FHIR endpoints, and that data exchange with NABIDH meets DHA’s profiles and timelines.
Health Data Quality Policy v2 — Reminder (24 Sep 2025). Refresh your internal data quality audits and owner assignments.
Customer Experience Maturity — Reminder (29 Sep 2025). Check patient-experience standards your facility is expected to meet.
DoH posted multiple Field Safety Alerts on 1 Oct 2025 (e.g., GLP Systems Track, device alerts). Ensure your biomedical/pharmacy leads review and act (isolation, recalls, alternatives). (doh.gov.ae)
Also new: DoH “Data Governance Standard” (published 5 days ago) sets minimum data-governance requirements across the emirate’s healthcare ecosystem—roles, decision rights, and oversight. Flag for your compliance and IT teams. (doh.gov.ae)
Seasonal Influenza 2025/26 campaign launched 18 Sep with DHA, ADPHC, EHS, Dubai Health, and SHA. Align clinic stock, vaccination throughput, and staff coverage. (Ministry of Health and Prevention - UAE)
ICOPE elderly-care training (with WHO) ran 1 Oct—expect more ageing-care initiatives tied to the National Framework for Healthy Ageing 2025–2031. (Ministry of Health and Prevention - UAE)
GCC Health Ministers meeting (Kuwait) on 6 Oct—watch for region-wide harmonisation (e.g., surveillance, NCD screening). (Ministry of Health and Prevention - UAE)
Cabinet Resolution No. (40) of 2025: updated federal service fees for medical products (e.g., import/export permits; minimum AED 200 per import permit). Relevant to clinics importing small equipment/consumables or participating in conferences exhibiting medical products. (uaelegislation.gov.ae)
Cabinet Resolution No. (4) of 2025: defines fees for expatriate medical examinations (visa screening). If you run occupational health/visa medical services, recheck pricing and workflows. (uaelegislation.gov.ae)
World Mental Health Day — 10 Oct. Good moment to push staff wellbeing activities and patient outreach. (Ministry of Health and Prevention - UAE)
Dubai clinics: verify your communicable-disease notification flow to DHA (who reports, how fast, what template) and refresh privacy briefings—Law No. 5/2025. (dlp.dubai.gov.ae)
EMR/IT leads (Dubai): confirm HL7 v2 live, FHIR/IHE on roadmap, and NABIDH interface test status vs. DHA Interop v2.
Abu Dhabi facilities: review DoH device Field Safety Alerts from 1 Oct; document actions (quarantine/replace/notify). (doh.gov.ae)
Data governance: assign owners to new DoH Data Governance Standard controls; add to your compliance calendar. (doh.gov.ae)
Flu season: stock vaccine, update consent forms/contraindications, and launch a staff-first vaccination drive. (Ministry of Health and Prevention - UAE)
Finance/procurement: check if medical-product permit fees affect upcoming orders or conference participation. (uaelegislation.gov.ae)
MOHAP News (Sep–Oct 2025), DHA Policies/Circulars, DoH Circulars & Standards, Dubai Legislation Portal (Law No. 5/2025), Federal Cabinet Resolutions (fees). (Ministry of Health and Prevention - UAE)
