President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has directed the adoption of a comprehensive national health insurance system that guarantees consistent medical coverage for Emirati citizens across all seven emirates, state news agency WAM reported on May 19, 2026.
The federal framework marks a significant shift from the previous arrangement, under which health insurance for Emiratis was tied to the emirate of residence. Programmes such as Abu Dhabi's Thiqa and other emirate-level schemes will be brought under a single national umbrella, allowing citizens to access treatment and preventive services anywhere in the country without lengthy referral or approval processes.
According to The National, the directive aims to ensure universal access to high-quality healthcare for all Emirati citizens, while strengthening preventive care and transitioning the country toward a sustainable national healthcare model aligned with the highest international standards.
Khaleej Times reported that the unified system will standardise core coverage policies across the emirates, expand the network of accredited hospitals and clinics available to citizens, and improve continuity of care for patients who move between emirates or seek specialised treatment outside their home emirate.
Gulf News noted that the reform is expected to deliver clearer and more consistent coverage, reduce disparities in service quality between emirates, and accelerate the rollout of connected digital medical records. Citizens travelling from Fujairah to Abu Dhabi, for example, will be able to access the same standard of care under the same coverage rules.
The initiative reflects the UAE leadership's long-standing focus on healthcare as a pillar of national wellbeing. By unifying coverage at the federal level, the government aims to remove geographic barriers between emirate-level systems and improve access to centres of excellence and specialised treatments.
Implementation details, including the timeline for integrating existing emirate-level programmes and the governance structure of the new federal framework, are expected to be announced in the coming months by the relevant federal and emirate-level health authorities.
Sources: The National, Khaleej Times, Gulf News, WAM.
