Dubai Health Authority — standards for licensed health facilities and services by type (outpatient, day surgery, laboratories, imaging, dialysis, oncology, emergency, obstetrics, mental health, transplant, home care and others),
chapter by chapter

Addiction Treatment Standard ss 5.5-5.7, 6.8, 11Addiction treatment

Addiction treatment facilities must obtain accreditation within 24 months, and minors must be accompanied; health data cannot be transferred outside the UAE without permission.

ARM Standard ss 5.1-5.6Assisted reproduction

Assisted reproduction centres must obtain a DHA licence, maintain a device register, and comply with public safety, waste management, and specimen transfer procedures.

Bariatric Standard ss 6.2.2, 7, 8.19Bariatric surgery

Hospitals performing bariatric surgery must obtain accreditation within two years and surgeons need specific experience and follow-up protocols.

Blood Bank Standard ss 1, 5.8, 5.14, 8, 9.14Blood banks

Blood banks cannot pay donors, must obtain accreditation within 18 months, monitor blood storage temperatures, and maintain confidentiality of donors.

Blood Donation Standard ss 5.12, 7.13, 11Blood donation sites

Blood collection sites must comply with AABB standards, obtain accreditation within 18 months, and ensure donor information handling according to specific guidelines.

Clinical Audit Standard ss 6.5-6.8Clinical audit

Facilities must submit clinical audit proposals for DHA approval, with deadlines for project completion and potential penalties for non-submission.

Clinical Laboratory Standard ss 5.15, 6.2-6.5, 8.1, 9Clinical laboratories

Clinical laboratories must maintain DHA accreditation, submit compliance plans, and follow strict rules on advertising and specimen handling.

Clinical Training Standard ss 5.5-5.13, 6.1.6, 7.6Clinical training sites

Facilities hosting clinical training must apply to the DHA for approval, renew permission, and ensure trainees have malpractice insurance and formal agreements with accredited institutions.

Code of Ethics Standard ss 7, 9Code of ethics

Health professionals must report notifiable diseases, inform patients about trainee involvement, and securely retain health records for 25 years.

Crash Cart Standard ss 5.1.2, 8.4, 14Crash carts

Registered nurses must check and verify crash cart contents every 24 hours, including defibrillator functionality and oxygen levels.

Day Surgery Standard ss 5.6, 6.2, 6.12, 6.35Day surgery centres

Day surgery centres must achieve accreditation within 2 years, adhere to strict operation hours, and conduct annual simulations, with surgeries led by experienced consultants.

DCD and DBD Standards (2026) ss 5-10Deceased donor donation

Deceased donor facilities must be licensed, avoid conflicts of interest in death determination, and notify authorities promptly regarding potential donors.

Dental Laboratory Standard ss 5.15, 8.6Dental laboratories

Dental laboratories must employ at least two qualified technicians who complete annual CME requirements for licence renewal and receive training in digital technologies.

Diagnostic Imaging Standard ss 5.1-5.24, 7Diagnostic imaging

Facilities offering diagnostic imaging must register with FANR, hire licensed professionals, and implement radiation safety programs.

Endoscopy Standard ss 16, 19Endoscopy

Endoscopists must perform a minimum annual case volume to maintain competence, and facilities must comply with anaesthesia policies and monitor quality indicators.

Genomic Services Standard ss 5.3-5.11, 6.6, 7.3, 9.17, 11.8Genomic services

Facilities offering genomic services must apply for HRS, maintain accreditation timelines, and report abnormal results to physicians with NGS data retention for 2 years.

Guidelines for Patient Consent ss 5.2, 9.2Patient consent

Consent for elective surgeries and procedures must be documented and managed, with validity periods defined for different types of consent.

Hair Transplant Standard ss 7, 9Hair transplant

Physicians need accredited hair-transplant certification and relevant experience, while technicians require field experience and have to maintain patient records.

HBOT Standard ss 5.3, 6.10-6.11, 7.4, 11.2Hyperbaric oxygen

Facilities adding HBOT must register equipment and operators, ensure operators are trained, and conduct staff health checks every 5 years.

Home Healthcare Standard ss 6.2-6.5Home healthcare

Standalone home healthcare facilities must achieve accreditation under DHA standards within 24 months of publication.

HSCT Standard ss 5.4-5.8, 12HSCT services

Hospitals must secure DHA and FACT accreditation for stem cell services, report serious adverse events, and follow MOHAP regulations.

Interventional Cardiology Standard s 6Interventional cardiology

Nurses assisting in interventional cardiology must have 6 months' training in critical care, or else face penalties like license suspension.

Kidney, Heart-Lung, Liver-Pancreas, VCA Standards ss 5.3-5.4, 7, 13Organ transplant programmes

Hospitals must apply to HRS and achieve accreditation prior to starting organ transplant services, meeting surgeon experience requirements.

Laser in Dentistry Standard ss 7.1, 7.7, 8.4-8.11, 10Dental lasers

Dental laser equipment must be MOHAP registered; dentists require specific training, ongoing CPD, and personnel must hold Laser Safety Officer certification.

Liposuction Standard ss 8.4, 9.3, 12Liposuction

Liposuction must be conducted by a plastic surgeon with two trained nurses present; necessary pre-operative tests and monitoring are required.

Living Donor Standard ss 5.3-5.4, 7Living donor donation

Facilities must apply to HRS before conducting living donor retrieval and ensure surgeon experience thresholds are met.

Long Term Care Standard ss 5.3, 6.10Long term care

Long-term care facilities must apply through Sheryan, obtain accreditation within 24 months, and meet specific design requirements.

Medical Equipment Management Standard ss 6.10, 10.1Medical equipment

Radiation-producing medical equipment requires FANR registration, ownership updates in the FANR system, and facilities must actively monitor recalls.

Medical Fitness Centres Standard s 7.8, 10.4Medical fitness centres

Medical fitness centres must submit visa medical results and infection control reports to respective authorities via the SALEM system and to the Medical Director.

Mental Health Standard ss 5.3, 6.4, 7.13, 9.2Mental health

Facilities adding mental health services must apply for accreditation within 24 months, have 24/7 psychiatrist availability, and create individualized patient care plans within specified timelines.

Molecular Laboratory Standard s 5.3-5.5Molecular and genomics laboratories

Molecular laboratories are encouraged to achieve accreditation within two years of licensing to maintain compliance with established standards.

Mortuary Standard ss 5.3, 6.1, 6.7, 7Mortuary

Hospitals adding mortuary services must apply for HRS approval, maintain 24/7 availability, and document all notifications and storage changes.

Non-Surgical Cosmetic Standard s 7Non-surgical cosmetic procedures

Non-surgical cosmetic procedure professionals require malpractice insurance and must meet specific experience criteria to practice in the UAE.

Nursery and ELC Standard ss 9-13Nursery and ELC clinics

Nurseries without registered clinics must inform parents, employ 10% BLS-certified staff, and report health issues to the Preventive Medicine Section.

Obstetric and Neonatal Standard ss 6.6, 7.6, 8.13-8.14Obstetric and neonatal

Maternity units must provide 24/7 service, require qualified staff, and have defined term categories for obstetric care.

Occupational Health Standard ss 7.3, 10.4Occupational health services

Medical fitness centres must comply with DHA accreditation policies and submit specific equipment lists and screening panels.

Oncology Standard ss 7, 8, 9, 13, 15Oncology

Facilities must employ one radiation oncologist per 35-45 patients and ensure proper staffing, experience, and adherence to regulations in oncology treatment.

Oocytes Policy (consent form)Oocyte cryopreservation

Oocyte cryopreservation consent forms are valid for 5 years and renewable, with patients required to be escorted home after sedation.

Outpatient Standard ss 5.3, 7.1-7.2, 8-12Outpatient facilities

Outpatient facilities must apply for HRS permission, maintain active DHA licenses, report medication errors, and ensure health records are kept for 25 years.

Physiotherapy Standard ss 6.2, 9.2, 10Physiotherapy

Physiotherapists must complete annual CME/CPD, assess referrals within 10 days, and report performance measures to management.

POCT Standard ss 6.7, 7.4, 9.4Point of care testing

Staff conducting point of care testing must be trained and use MOHAP-registered equipment, while test results must be verified in accredited labs.

POD Standard ss 6.1.7, 6.x, 7People of determination

Facilities must allocate 5% of their budget for disability-related needs and ensure staff receive training on accessibility.

Premarital Screening Standard s 8.1 (reactive retest)Premarital screening

Reactive premarital specimens require duplicate retesting with results delivered within two working days.

Premarital Screening Standard ss 6.7, 8.1, 11.5Premarital screening

Premarital screening programmes need a coordinator to submit data to DHA, require guardian consent for minors, and must issue screening reports.

Renal Dialysis Standard ss 5.3, 7, 9-11Renal dialysis

Dialysis units must apply to HRS, with specific experience requirements for directors and nurses, plus health safety checks and reporting protocols.

School Clinics Standard ss 8, Appendices 4-5School clinics

Schools must employ a DHA-licensed nurse with child health experience, and physicians must report communicable diseases via HASANA according to specific timelines.

Sick Leave Certificate Policy ss 4.17-4.19Sick leave certificates

DHA reviews sick leave certificates, requiring medical justification for absences over 5 days and aims to complete evaluations within 3 working days.

Sleep Laboratory Standard ss 5.11, 7.1Sleep laboratories

Sleep laboratories must request a final inspection after setup, with staffing ensuring 24-hour service and overnight security.

Specialty Hospitals Standard ss 5.8, 6.2, 7.6Specialty hospitals

Specialty hospitals must obtain ISQua accreditation within 2 years, operate 24/7, and meet various staffing and patient satisfaction requirements.

Stem Cell Standard ss 4.3-4.9Stem cell services

Stem cell services must comply with Cabinet Decision 6/2020; require DHA licensing, IRB approval, and MOHAP registration, with specific prohibitions on allogeneic therapy uses.

Stroke Standard ss 5.9, 7.7-7.8, 8Acute stroke centres

Acute stroke centers must provide immediate emergency care, meet treatment time targets, and ensure ongoing training for stroke team members.

Tissue Management Standard ss 9-13; Corneal Standard ss 9-11Tissue banking and traceability

Tissues and corneas must be sourced from accredited banks, with comprehensive traceability and reporting of adverse events to DHA within 48 hours.

Trauma Standard ss 7.6, 7.11, 8-9Trauma centres

Emergency patients must receive immediate care regardless of insurance; trauma centers must adhere to triage times and maintain 24/7 operations.

Urgent Care and ED Standard ss 5.13, 6.3, 7.3Urgent care and emergency

Emergency patients must receive immediate care regardless of insurance, and urgent care centers must operate 10-12 hours daily, reassessing patients regularly.

Outpatient Standard s 12.4-retRecord Retention — Health information system (medical) records

Health records must be retained for at least 25 years from the last health procedure or encounter, as mandated by the medical records standard.

Genomic Services Standard s 11.8-retRecord Retention — NGS data supporting primary result generation, audit and reanalysis

NGS data supporting primary results must be retained for a minimum of two years from the result generation date.

Tissue Standard s 10.1-retRecord Retention — Traceability records for tissues and corneas

Traceability records for tissues and corneas must be kept for 25 years from the date of clinical use or disposal as per DHA regulations.

Tissue Standard s 11.9-retRecord Retention — Storage temperature records for tissues and corneas

Storage temperature records for tissues and corneas must be retained for a minimum of ten years.