One of the Abu Dhabi clinics covers cancer treatment for patients who cannot pay the bills themselves.
The new Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Cancer Center will cover the costs of treating emirates and residents of the capital who cannot afford to pay for the treatment, hospital representatives said Monday, April 15.
This practice is not new in itself. It is consistent with the instruction of the founding president, Sheikh Zayed, who called for free treatment at state hospitals in the Emirates and residents of Abu Dhabi, who are unable to pay for the treatment of rare or life-threatening diseases.
Over the past two years, according to a presidential decree, more than 100 patients with acute leukemia have received free treatment at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City. Many of them were workers, whose health insurance often did not cover cancer treatment.
Fatima Al-Kaabi from Sheikh Khalifa Medical City claims that all patients receive treatment at the clinic, regardless of wealth, skin color, race or creed. The average cost of a single cycle of chemotherapy (from six to eight sessions) ranges from 300 to 400 thousand dirhams ($ US 82 - 109 thousand). Insurance policies often do not cover these costs, and patients have to turn to charities for financial support.
Mandatory health insurance in Dubai, introduced in 2015, stipulates that workers, their dependents and home assistants are eligible for treatment in the amount of AED 150 thousand ($ US 40 thousand) per year. In Abu Dhabi, the amount is 250 thousand dirhams ($ US 68 thousand).
