Healthcare in the UAE is regulated by three bodies depending on where a clinic, hospital, doctor or pharmacy is licensed. Dubai falls under the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Abu Dhabi under the Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH), and the five northern emirates — Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah — under the federal Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP). Insurance sits separately with the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), which absorbed the former Insurance Authority in 2020. This article covers who regulates what, how to verify a doctor or facility, where to file a complaint, and how the Riayati record links to an Emirates ID. It is administrative reference, not clinical advice.
At a Glance
| Jurisdiction | Regulator | Scope | Verification channel | Complaint hotline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | Dubai Health Authority (DHA) | Facility and professional licensing, public hospital oversight, DHIP basic health insurance, Sheryan e-licensing, Nabidh health-data exchange | Sheryan e-licensing portal at the DHA website (dha.gov.ae) | 800-DHA (800-342) |
| Abu Dhabi | Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH) | Facility and professional licensing, public health policy, Thiqa and Daman scheme oversight, SEHA public hospital regulation, Malaffi health-information exchange | DOH services on the Tamm portal (tamm.abudhabi) and doh.gov.ae | 800-50 |
| Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah | Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) | Facility and professional licensing in the five northern emirates, federal medication registration and import, federal public-health programmes | MOHAP licence verification at mohap.gov.ae | 80011111 |
| Federal — insurance | Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) | Health insurance product approval, insurer conduct, grievance escalation | centralbank.ae | Sanadak ombudsman |
| Federal — medication | MOHAP | Drug registration, pharmacy import licences, controlled substances | mohap.gov.ae | 80011111 |
| Federal — Emirates ID | ICP (Federal Authority for Identity) | Emirates ID — links Riayati / M42 records across providers | icp.gov.ae | 600-522222 |
| Hospital accreditation | Joint Commission International (JCI) | Voluntary international quality accreditation alongside the local licence | jointcommissioninternational.org | — |
| Cross-emirate practice | Each regulator separately | A DHA licence does not automatically permit DOH practice; DataFlow verification is portable, the licence is not | Apply via Sheryan, Tamm or MOHAP | — |
The Three Regulators
Each regulator is autonomous within its jurisdiction. They share data through federal mechanisms — most importantly the Riayati record operated by M42 — but licensing, fees, complaints and inspections remain local.
DHA — Dubai Health Authority (Dubai)
The DHA regulates every healthcare professional and facility in the Emirate of Dubai, including Dubai Healthcare City (internal regulator DHCR, under DHA oversight). It also runs Dubai's public hospital network — Rashid, Latifa, Dubai Hospital, Hatta and primary health centres — through its operations arm.
- Sheryan — the DHA e-licensing portal where doctors, nurses, clinics, hospitals, pharmacies and laboratories apply for and renew licences, and where the public verifies a current Dubai licence.
- DHIP — the Dubai Health Insurance Programme, the mandatory cover every Dubai residence visa requires. The DHA sets the Essential Benefits Plan rules; insurers price the products.
- Nabidh — Dubai's health-information exchange, into which every licensed provider must push patient data.
- Hospital tiers — DHA classifies private facilities into tiers based on size, scope and inpatient capacity.
DOH — Department of Health (Abu Dhabi)
The DOH (formerly the Health Authority Abu Dhabi, HAAD, until a 2017 rebrand) regulates the Emirate of Abu Dhabi — Abu Dhabi city, Al Ain and Al Dhafra. Most services are accessed through Tamm, the unified Abu Dhabi government portal. The DOH licenses professionals and facilities, runs public-health programmes, and oversees the Thiqa scheme for nationals and the Basic / Enhanced Daman products for residents.
Public hospitals sit under SEHA (Abu Dhabi Health Services Company), which operates Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Tawam, Mafraq and Al Ain Hospital. SEHA is the operator; the DOH is the regulator — separated to give the DOH an arm's-length supervisory mandate. Abu Dhabi's health-information exchange is Malaffi, the equivalent of Nabidh.
MOHAP — Ministry of Health and Prevention (Northern Emirates + federal)
MOHAP plays two roles. First, in the five northern emirates it is the local licensing authority — the same role DHA plays in Dubai. Second, it holds federal-only competencies across all seven emirates: medication registration and import, controlled-substance permits, federal public-health emergencies, and federal preventive programmes.
MOHAP also runs public hospitals in the northern emirates, including Al Qassimi (Sharjah), Sheikh Khalifa (Umm Al Quwain), Saqr (Ras Al Khaimah) and Fujairah Hospital. Licence verification is at mohap.gov.ae.
Federal-Level Bodies and What They Do
Several federal bodies sit alongside the three primary regulators and own specific slices of the patient experience.
- MOHAP — pharmacy and medication. Even in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, medicines must be registered with MOHAP before sale. Personal import is governed by MOHAP's Personal Import permit. See the medication guide.
- CBUAE — health insurance. Since the Insurance Authority was folded into CBUAE in 2020, the Central Bank approves products, supervises insurer solvency, and operates the Sanadak ombudsman. Insurer conduct issues — claim denials, refusal to renew, mid-year price changes — escalate through CBUAE, not DHA or DOH. The insurance guide explains which complaint goes where.
- ICP — Emirates ID. The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security issues the Emirates ID, which links records across Nabidh, Malaffi and MOHAP systems via the federal Riayati layer. Without a valid ID, the records cannot be linked. See the Emirates ID guide.
- Emirates Health Services (EHS) operates federal public hospitals in the northern emirates — distinct from MOHAP the regulator, like SEHA is distinct from DOH.
How to Verify a Doctor or Clinic Is Licensed
Every regulator publishes a public licence-check tool. Verification is free, takes under a minute, and confirms the professional exists in the database, the licence is current, and the scope matches the procedure offered.
Dubai (DHA Sheryan licence verification)
Step 1 — Open the Sheryan e-licensing portal at the DHA website (dha.gov.ae). The public "Verify a Professional" and "Facility Search" tools do not require a login.
Step 2 — Enter the doctor's name as published, or their licence number. The system returns licence status, scope of practice, and the facilities where they are registered.
Step 3 — For a clinic or hospital, search by facility name and confirm the licence type matches what is being offered — a Day Surgery Centre licence does not authorise overnight stays, and an aesthetic clinic licence does not authorise general surgery.
Abu Dhabi (DOH HAAD verification — Tamm portal)
The DOH publishes its register through the Tamm portal at tamm.abudhabi and directly via doh.gov.ae. Legacy "HAAD" branding still appears in some links — both routes hit the same database. Search by name, then confirm the registered practice address matches the clinic offering the appointment. A doctor licensed at one Abu Dhabi facility is not automatically authorised to consult at another.
Northern Emirates (MOHAP licence check)
MOHAP operates a single licensing portal for the five northern emirates at mohap.gov.ae. The same lookup covers federally registered pharmacists and medication importers. A clinic in Sharjah presenting a "DHA licence" as proof of regulation is a red flag — the DHA does not license clinics outside Dubai. See the finding-a-doctor guide for a verification checklist before booking.
Hospital and Facility Classifications
Each regulator publishes its own facility taxonomy. The categories shape what insurance pays, what services a facility may offer, and where complaints route. Common licence categories:
- Hospitals — multi-specialty with inpatient beds, operating theatres and 24-hour services. Dubai stratifies hospitals into formal tiers used by insurers to define network levels.
- Day surgery centres — procedures under anaesthesia with same-day discharge.
- Polyclinics — multi-specialty outpatient with several doctors but no inpatient capacity.
- Specialty centres — single-discipline outpatient (dental, dermatology, fertility, dialysis, paediatric, physiotherapy).
- Standalone clinics — typically one or two doctors, limited scope.
- Pharmacies and laboratories — regulated separately, with the licence indicating retail, hospital or warehouse-only authority.
Public and private facilities sit under the same regulator: SEHA hospitals are DOH-licensed; DHA public hospitals are DHA-licensed. Public-versus-private affects who pays the bill, not who regulates — see the hospitals guide for JCI accreditation and network framing.
Complaints — How and Where to File
Routing a complaint to the wrong body wastes weeks. The three categories below cover most routine cases.
Clinical complaints (against a doctor or hospital)
Clinical complaints — alleged misdiagnosis, complications, a fee dispute, unprofessional conduct — go to the regulator that issued the facility's licence. Dubai goes to DHA on 800-DHA (800-342) or via the Sheryan complaints form; Abu Dhabi goes to DOH on 800-50 or via Tamm; northern emirates go to MOHAP on 80011111. Submit the facility name, doctor name, dates of service, a copy of the medical record (patients are entitled to one), invoices and a written statement. Investigations take several weeks.
Insurance complaints (claim denials)
Claim denials, premium disputes and refusal to renew go to the insurer first, then escalate to the CBUAE consumer protection division and the Sanadak ombudsman. The DHA also accepts complaints for DHIP products, but the federal insurer-conduct route runs through CBUAE. The insurance guide sets out the 30-day reply window.
Pharmacy complaints (medication errors)
Pharmacy complaints — wrong medicine dispensed, expired stock, refusal of a valid prescription, suspected counterfeit — go to MOHAP regardless of emirate, because medication regulation is federal. MOHAP on 80011111 also handles complaints about online pharmacies and unlicensed importers. Where the pharmacy sits inside a Dubai or Abu Dhabi hospital, file in parallel with the local regulator.
The M42 Unified Health Record
Until recently a patient's electronic record was fragmented: DHA visits sat in Nabidh, DOH visits in Malaffi, northern-emirates visits in disconnected systems. The federal response is Riayati, the unified national medical record operated by M42, the state-backed health holding formed in 2023 by combining G42 Healthcare and Mubadala Health.
Riayati is keyed to the Emirates ID. When a patient checks in at any UAE-licensed facility and presents a valid ID, the facility's electronic record can — subject to consent — pull a consolidated history of allergies, chronic conditions, medications, vaccinations and recent investigations. Roll-out is phased; coverage of private facilities lags public ones. The practical takeaway: keep the Emirates ID current, because an expired ID breaks the link. The Emirates ID guide covers renewal timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if my doctor is licensed?
Use the regulator covering the emirate where the doctor practises. For Dubai, search the Sheryan portal at the DHA website. For Abu Dhabi, use Tamm or doh.gov.ae. For the northern emirates, use MOHAP at mohap.gov.ae. Verification is free and shows licence status and the facility where the doctor is registered.
Who do I complain to about a hospital?
File with the regulator that licenses the hospital. A Dubai hospital goes to the DHA on 800-DHA (800-342). An Abu Dhabi hospital goes to the DOH on 800-50. A northern-emirates hospital goes to MOHAP on 80011111. Submit the facility name, dates of service, copies of medical records and invoices, and a written statement.
What's the difference between DHA, DOH, and MOHAP?
The DHA regulates Dubai, the DOH regulates Abu Dhabi, and MOHAP regulates the five northern emirates plus holds federal-only competencies such as medication registration. Each licenses doctors, clinics, hospitals and pharmacies in its territory. A facility licensed by one is not automatically authorised by another.
Does my Dubai-licensed doctor work in Abu Dhabi?
Not automatically. A DHA licence does not confer the right to practise in Abu Dhabi; a separate DOH licence is needed. The DataFlow primary-source verification is portable and does not need to be re-done, but the licence application itself must be completed with the DOH. The reverse applies to DOH doctors moving to Dubai.
What's the M42 health record?
M42 is the state-backed health holding that operates Riayati, the federal unified electronic medical record. Riayati is linked to the Emirates ID and consolidates a patient's history — allergies, chronic conditions, medications, vaccinations and investigations — across DHA, DOH and MOHAP-licensed providers. Roll-out is phased and consent-based.
How do I check if a pharmacy is registered?
Pharmacy licensing is a MOHAP federal function regardless of emirate, even though the pharmacy may also hold a local DHA or DOH operating licence. Verify the pharmacy and its medicines on mohap.gov.ae. See the medication guide for personal-import rules.
Can I file a complaint against my insurer?
Yes. Health insurance is regulated by CBUAE since the Insurance Authority was folded into the Central Bank in 2020. Submit to the insurer first and allow up to 30 days for a written reply; if unresolved, escalate to the CBUAE consumer protection division or the Sanadak ombudsman. For DHIP-specific issues the DHA also accepts complaints.
What's a "tier 1" hospital in Dubai?
Tier classifications are formal DHA categories grouping hospitals by size, scope and inpatient capacity. Insurers use the tiers when defining network levels — a tier 1 plan covers higher-tier facilities, while economical plans may exclude them. Check the current Sheryan facility entry rather than older listings. The hospitals guide sets out the framing.
Where do I check that a paediatric clinic is licensed for children specifically?
Paediatric scope is a separate licence category. A general practitioner is not automatically authorised to provide paediatric care, and a paediatric specialty clinic must be licensed at the facility level for paediatrics. Verify both the doctor's scope and the facility category through Sheryan, Tamm or MOHAP. The kids' healthcare guide covers vaccination schedules and school medical requirements.
For the wider context, start at the UAE healthcare guide hub.