Editing United Arab Emirates (section)

=== Health ===
{{Main|Health in the United Arab Emirates}}

The life expectancy at birth in the UAE is at 76.96 years.<ref>[http://www.geoba.se/population.php?pc=world&type=15 Gazetteer – The World – Life Expectancy – Top 100+ By Country (2018)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120052840/http://www.geoba.se/population.php?pc=world&type=15 |date=20 November 2016 }}. Geoba.se (28 April 2016). Retrieved on 21 August 2018.</ref> [[Cardiovascular disease]] is the principal cause of death in the UAE, constituting 28% of total deaths; other major causes are [[accident]]s and [[injury|injuries]], [[Cancer|malignancies]], and [[congenital disorder|congenital anomalies]].<ref name=cp>{{cite web |url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/UAE.pdf |title=United Arab Emirates country profile |work=Library of Congress |access-date=20 June 2009 |archive-date=26 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226005533/http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/UAE.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> According to [[List of countries by Body Mass Index (BMI)#WHO Data on Prevalence of Obesity (BMI above 30) (2016)|World Health Organization data from 2016]], 34.5% of adults in the UAE are clinically [[Obesity|obese]], with a [[body mass index]] (BMI) score of 30 or more.<ref>{{cite web|title=Prevalence of obesity, ages 18+, 2010–2014|url=http://gamapserver.who.int/gho/interactive_charts/ncd/risk_factors/obesity/atlas.html|website=WHO|publisher=World Health Organization|access-date=26 February 2016|archive-date=20 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191120191542/http://gamapserver.who.int/gho/interactive_charts/ncd/risk_factors/obesity/atlas.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In February 2008, the Ministry of Health unveiled a five-year health strategy for the public health sector in the northern emirates, which fall under its purview and which, unlike Abu Dhabi and Dubai, do not have separate healthcare authorities. The strategy focuses on unifying healthcare policy and improving access to healthcare services at reasonable cost, at the same time reducing dependence on overseas treatment. The ministry plans to add three hospitals to the current 14, and 29 primary healthcare centres to the current 86. Nine were scheduled to open in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uae.gov.ae/Government/health.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612101330/http://www.uae.gov.ae/Government/health.htm|archive-date=12 June 2008 |title=UAE Health |publisher=Uae.gov.ae }}</ref>

The introduction of mandatory [[health insurance]] in Abu Dhabi for [[expatriate]]s and their dependents was a major driver in reform of healthcare policy. Abu Dhabi nationals were brought under the scheme from 1 June 2008 and Dubai followed for its government employees. Eventually, under federal law, every Emirati and expatriate in the country will be covered by compulsory health insurance under a unified mandatory scheme.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/health/health-cover-is-mandatory-1.43089 |author=El Shammaa, Dina |title=Health cover is mandatory |work=Gulf News |date=3 January 2009 |access-date=1 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112123918/http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/health/health-cover-is-mandatory-1.43089 |archive-date=12 January 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The country has benefited from medical tourists from all over the [[Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf]]. The UAE attracts [[medical tourism|medical tourists]] seeking [[cosmetic surgery]] and advanced procedures, cardiac and spinal surgery, and dental treatment, as health services have higher standards than other Arab countries in the Persian Gulf.<ref name="thenational.ae">{{cite web|author=Detrie, Megan |url=http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091116/NATIONAL/711159830/1010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091124064723/http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20091116%2FNATIONAL%2F711159830%2F1010 |archive-date=24 November 2009 |title=Dubai has eye on medical tourism |work=The National Newspaper |date=15 November 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>