New Dubai, New Hospital

I've blogged about Dubai's Government Health Services before, and in general they're pretty impressive. But I'm worried by the continuing lack of any announcement concerning construction of a new gubment hospital in the Jebel Ali area. As the population of the so-called 'New Dubai' grows by leaps and bounds, so does the requirement for affordable health care. And it's no good saying that everybody moving into these new developments can afford private care - that simply is not true and in any case, the private sector is simply not big enough.

To put this into perspective, the population of Dubai is reckoned to be a little over 1 million now. It's expected to grow to around 3 million in the next ten years or so. That's basically a new city clustered around Jebel Ali, 40 kms from Old Dubai. It's a half-hour drive if the roads are clear, but it can easily take more than an hour when the roads are busy. How can a developed country have a city of 2 million people without a hospital?

If we can't have a new hospital in the Jebel Ali area, we at least need an Accident & Emergency Unit. At the moment, the closest A & E unit is at Rashid Hospital. Critically-injured patients don't stand much of a chance. On a happier note I've been slightly cheered to see an ambulance permanently on call at Media City over the last few days.