UAE, January 28, 2018 - H.E. AbdulRahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, received a plaque from the Joint Commission International (JCI) following the accreditation of 213 UAE-based health centers. The accreditation marked another milestone in the UAE’s efforts to become a global leader in line with the UAE National Agenda leading to UAE Vision 2021. The plaque was bestowed on the Minister in recognition of his leadership as the Ministry continues to take strategic steps to apply the highest international standards.

Dr. Mark R. Chassin, The Joint Commission’s President and Chief Executive Officer, presented the award, in the presence of Paula Wilson, JCI’s President and Chief Executive Officer; Bonnie Quinn, Director of International Strategy; Dr. Ashraf Ismail, JCI’s Managing Director in the Middle East; and the Undersecretary, Assistant Undersecretaries and the Director of Quality Department.

With its intensive sustainability efforts, the UAE, H.E. said, seeks to become a role model in proactively facing future relevant challenges to serve society and achieve people’s happiness and well-being through the provision of best healthcare services. The UAE’s accomplishments in this regard have been made possible thanks to the guidance of H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Part of the leadership’s directives is to secure international accreditations for all UAE health facilities by 2021 in an effort to build a world-class health system.

H.E. added: “We are proud that the UAE has the highest number of JCI-accredited health facilities, which reflects the state’s highly efficient health system and sustainable health services. This milestone is in line with the aspirations of UAE Centennial 2071 to redefine the government’s role in serving the local communities and shaping the country’s future; establish one of the best the world's best health system with innovative health services; and integrate next-generation technologies into the local health sector such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, nanotechnology, tele-health, and modern surgical services.”

H.E. Al Owais thanked JCI for honoring and praising the outstanding performance of the Ministry’s advisory and administrative teams in a bid to instill quality in the local medical field. He also commended the efforts of all Ministry officials and medical and administrative staff. The Ministry has implemented globally accepted standards and protocols as it seeks to win international accreditations and build a best-in-class health system to make the UAE one of the most outstanding countries with high-quality, sustainable, and reliable healthcare and health security.

According to JCI, the UAE is the first in the world to accredit 213 health facilities. The UAE has been ranked first in the number of accredited specialized centers; medical laboratories; specialized centers within the unified centers network system; primary health centers adopted within the unified centers network system; and home health facilities.