The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) today with the Dubai Municipality to recognize the accreditation given by the municipality to laboratories in the Emirate of Dubai.
With the signing of this agreement, the Dubai Accreditation Centre (DAC) of the Dubai Municipality becomes the first internationally recognized local accreditation body for laboratories in the UAE and the fourth in the Middle East region.
The Dubai Accreditation Centre is a member of the ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) and thus the accreditation given by DAC to testing and calibration laboratories in the Emirate of Dubai, will be an internationally recognized accreditation.
The DHA Health Regulation Department will add the Dubai Accreditation Centre to the list of approved accreditation centres for laboratories in the Emirate of Dubai. The DAC will also be able to provide accreditations for laboratories outside of the UAE.
Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority, said, “The Dubai Accreditation Centre of the Dubai Municipality is the first internationally recognized local accreditation body for laboratories in the Emirate of Dubai.
This is a great achievement because it provides the healthcare facilitates in Dubai with an option to get their laboratories accredited from a local body, which is a cost-saving and convenient option. At the DHA, we believe in providing high quality healthcare services to our stakeholders along with convenience and ease of service and thus recognizing local accreditation bodies is a step in this direction.
“This MoU is a reflection of the strategic partnership between the government departments and the DHA is keen to undertake such collaborations to enhance the quality of medical services in the Emirate of Dubai.” Engineer Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality, said, “With the signing of the MoU, the Dubai Municipality aims to facilitate registered and licensed health establishments in the Emirate of Dubai to obtain internationally recognized accreditations for their laboratories from the Dubai Municipality.
This MoU aims to enhance the quality of medical services in Dubai as well as achieve technical excellence. Accreditations are essential to ensure the service provided to the public is of high-quality and thus are an important tool for public welfare.” Lootah added that partnerships with the local authorities are a part of the strategic objective of the Dubai Government.
Dr Ramadan Ibrahim, Director of Health Regulation at the DHA, said that this recognition makes it feasible for the laboratories in the Emirate of Dubai to approach a local accreditation body which is both cost-effective and ensures a lesser turn-around time.
Ibrahim said that in future the DHA will also recognize accreditations given by the municipality to hospitals, once the Dubai municipality fulfills all the required criteria for the same.
WAM