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Department of Health Launches Open Data Dashboards
30 Jan, 2019: Department of Health—Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, today launched the Open Data Dashboards, which have been designed and developed as an online portal which will relay the Emirate’s most up-to-date health statistics in a visual and engaging manner. The new dashboard was launched on the sidelines of DoH’s participation at the Arab Health 2019, the largest medical exhibition in the Middle East taking place in Dubai World Centre.
Accessible to members of the public, users will be able to interact with the dashboards in a multitude of ways including interactive filters, which will help users to visualise the data provided over a selected time period in addition to displaying trends and related changes within the Abu Dhabi healthcare system. Moreover, users will be able to compare selected statistics with international benchmarks on the same parameters.
The Open Data Dashboards address the demand for real-time healthcare data, inform key stakeholders including the Abu Dhabi government, and provide market and investors with insights to improve access, quality and financial sustainability for planning and managing healthcare services. The dashboards are available at DoH- new website via doh.gov.ae/opendata/
The dashboards will feature the results of the latest Health Statistics Report, ‘The Report’, which provides a summary of key health statistics, and an overview of the healthcare sector in Abu Dhabi. The dashboard is continuously updated with real-time data drawn from DoH’s database system, which is powered by artificial intelligence technology.
According to the 2017 Abu Dhabi Health Statistics Report, the number of practitioners working in the sector has significantly increased, where physicians per 10’000 population increased from 29.6 to 33.2 and nursing staff per 10,000 population increased from 82.0 to 96.9 from 2016 to 2017. It is estimated that, by 2025, close to 3,500 additional doctors and 12,000 nurses will be required to meet the expectations of the ever-growing healthcare sector in the Emirate. According to the Report there were 60 hospitals, 1,644 medical centres and clinics and 802 pharmacies operating in the Emirate in 2017. With the Emirate attracting more investments in the healthcare sector by providing the ideal infrastructure, the number of adjusted hospital beds has increased from 3.9 beds in 2016 to 4.4 beds per 1000 population in 2017.
According to the findings of the Report, the DoH continues to launch new initiatives and strengthen existing programs with the aim to raise awareness on pressing health issues. Since 2007, DoH has initiated and continues to work through the ‘Weqaya’ programme to inform residents about cardiovascular diseases (CVD) which accounted for 37% of deaths in 2017. The programme offers Emirati citizens a routine examination to scan for CVD risk factors and help them take the necessary steps to prevent the disease and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
The Report indicates that injuries were the second leading cause of deaths in 2017 reaching 17% in the Emirate, followed by tumors responsible for 16%, congenital malformations for 2%, and endocrine diseases for 2%. The number of injury-related deaths declined from 20.5 to 19.2 deaths per 10,000 population from 2016 to 2017, while the number of deaths among children under the age of five dropped from 8.8 to 8.2 per 100,000 births between 2016 and 2017. Road traffic fatalities also dropped by 27% from 2016 to 2017.
As part of its strategy, DoH strives continuously to raise awareness on the importance of early detection of cancer through its ‘Live Healthy, Simply Check’ program, which encourages periodic cancer screenings and promotes preventive vaccines for cervical cancer, which increases the chance of treatment and recovery by more than 90%.
Reliable data plays an important role in steering the Department’s efforts towards enhancing the overall healthcare sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and tackling arising healthcare issues. Based on findings from previous reports, DoH is continuously implementing new initiatives and reinforcing existing programs to raise awareness on critical health issues.
As DoH continues to work towards fulfilling the rising demand in health service provision, DoH recently released a Health Capacity Master Plan (HCMP) that details the supply and demand of health services and providers, and highlights areas for development and expansion. The plan helps investors identify the potential investment opportunities in healthcare and guides them throughout the process.
Last updated: 23 May 2025
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