Dubai, UAE – Dubai’s healthcare sector continued its rapid expansion in the first half of 2026, according to new figures released by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). The number of licensed healthcare facilities in the emirate rose 7% year on year to 5,931, up from 5,541 in the first half of 2025.
Facilities at a glance (H1 2026)
- Home healthcare facilities: 249, up 22.7% – the fastest-growing segment
- Pharmacies: 1,794, up 6.8%
- Complementary and alternative medicine centres: 107, up 8.1%
- Other facilities and services (including medical complexes and optical centres): 1,903, up 9.9%
Obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics and dermatology were the fastest-growing specialties.
Workforce passes 70,000
The number of licensed healthcare professionals in Dubai rose 6.5% to 70,566, compared with 66,277 a year earlier. Women make up the majority of the workforce, with 47,927 female and 22,639 male licensed professionals.
Tighter oversight, higher compliance
The DHA also stepped up regulatory monitoring. Inspection and monitoring visits rose 36.3% to 5,378, made up of 3,154 on-site visits and 2,224 remote inspections and audits. The overall compliance rate improved to 80%, up from 75% in the first half of 2025.
What it means for residents and providers
The figures point to wider access to care, particularly through home-based services, alongside stronger quality controls. For healthcare operators and investors, continued demand growth in women’s health, children’s health and dermatology highlights where new capacity is being added.
Source: Arabian Business, citing Dubai Health Authority data.
