Dubai Healthcare City and VITA join forces to deliver the first specialised and integrated elderly care complex in the UAE

Sunday, Aug 29, 2021

Government of Dubai Media Office – 29 August 2021: Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), Dubai’s dedicated healthcare free zone, and VITA, a UAE-based healthcare investment company, have signed an agreement to deliver the UAE’s first centre specialising in healthcare services for the elderly.

Once completed, the VITA Elderly Care Complex will become the centre of excellence for geriatric care in Dubai and the UAE. Its services will include an Outpatient Geriatric Medical Centre, Advanced Nursing Home (Long-term Care), Alzheimer's Centre, Elderly Day Care Centre, Rehabilitation Facility, Ventilated Care Centre, Home Care Centre and Home Health Monitoring.

Jamal Abdulsalam, CEO, Dubai Healthcare City Authority (DCHA), the governing body of DHCC, said: “In line with Dubai’s vision to be the global hub for healthcare, offering the best services for all sectors of society, the signing of this agreement with VITA is a landmark moment for Dubai Healthcare City. We are pleased to unveil this mega project, a testament to our commitment and duty to meet demand for integrated, quality healthcare services for the elderly, a key and growing demographic of the UAE society.”

“As a healthcare enabler, it is imperative to facilitate services for all. The new VITA Care project will see Dubai Healthcare City home to tailored services from pediatric right through to geriatric.”

The new geriatric centre, which will be operated through VITA Care, will be a key component of Dubai Healthcare City Phase 2, a health and wellness destination located in Al Jaddaf Dubai, overlooking Dubai Creek. Under the landmark agreement, VITA and its medical and operating partners will build a state-of-the-the art healthcare facility offering comprehensive healthcare services for elderly Emirati and expatriates over the age of 65.

Abdullah Al Gurg, VITA Chairman, said: “Specialised medical care and non-clinical services for the elderly are currently not available at optimum capacity in the UAE.  Addressing the needs of an ageing population is both a moral imperative and an essential service in the continuum of care.  As Dubai continues to provide leading healthcare services to its population, we believe that there is a vital and unmet need for elderly care that must be addressed. This is ever more evident in a post COVID-19 world where the elderly have been one of the most impacted and vulnerable sections of society. Through the establishment of VITA Care, our aim is to place Dubai as a regional and global leader in this critical area of medical and pastoral care for the elderly.”

The centre’s establishment comes at an inflection point in the local and regional healthcare system. As medical improvements in society ensure that people live longer, the question of care extends beyond purely medical and shifts to quality of life and end of life care. With the UAE hosting one of the largest senior populations in the region and second highest in the GCC for life expectancy, the need for such care facilities has become more compelling.