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The presidential directive removes longstanding restrictions that had limited coverage under emirate-specific insurance programmes with exceptions granted only in special circumstances according to a report in The National. The Ministry of Health and Prevention unveiled the new system which ensures universal access to high-quality healthcare services for Emiratis irrespective of where they live or which prior plan they held. Coordination across providers payers regulators and digital health platforms will improve under the unified model while strengthening continuity of care and access to specialised centres of excellence.
Minister Ahmed Al Sayegh described the reform as a strategic step towards a more efficient preventive and innovative national healthcare model placing human health and quality of life at the centre of development priorities. The initiative builds on existing emirate-level frameworks that had provided comprehensive benefits but operated within geographic boundaries. Ahmed Al Sayegh added that the changes will place greater emphasis on preventive care and innovation across the federation.
The previous Abu Dhabi programme known as Thiqa offered full medical coverage with no annual benefit limit to more than one million members through a network exceeding 2000 facilities according to the official Thiqa website. Eligible participants included UAE nationals and qualifying family members with access to both public and private providers plus emergency treatment options. Similar arrangements in Dubai under the Anaya programme had followed a comparable emirate-focused structure that the new national system will now supersede.
World Health Organization data updated in December 2025 through the Global Health Expenditure Database show the UAE directing roughly 5.6 percent of gross domestic product toward health with per capita spending having risen significantly over the past two decades. Government financing accounted for 61 percent of total health expenditure in 2020 while private spending and out-of-pocket costs made up the balance according to a UNDP analysis of UAE health financing. The unified system arrives as authorities seek to streamline delivery amid sustained investment in the sector.
The reform aligns with broader efforts to modernise healthcare governance in a federation where each emirate had previously managed its own insurance schemes for nationals. By centralising access the directive is expected to reduce administrative fragmentation and expand options for specialised treatment beyond home-emirate networks. The Ministry of Health and Prevention will oversee implementation to ensure seamless transition for all affected citizens.
UAE nationals represent roughly one-tenth of the country’s total population yet have benefited from generous state-backed coverage that the new framework aims to standardise at a national level. Earlier programmes such as Thiqa operated at no cost to members and included broad networks that the unified system will likely retain or expand. The announcement marks a significant policy shift in how the federation approaches citizen health entitlements.
