Dubai plans retirement homes with medical care

As part of its plan to attract more medical tourists to Dubai, the Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) will build retirement homes that will provide full-time medical care for everyone, including expatriates. There will be several housing options, including independent retirement homes, assisted living homes and nursing homes, Marwan Abdin, CEO, Healthcare City, told the Dubai-based local daily, Gulf News. The homes, as part of the second phase of Healthcare City, will be located at the Continuing Care Retirement Community and international specialists will be on hand to provide medical support to the residents, said Abdin. According to Abdin, a 400-bed medical teaching college is also being planned. "We are currently revisiting designs and plans," he said. "DHCC is committed to education and to building a specialised medical talent pool in the region," he said. The Mohammad bin Rashid Academic Medical Centre is at the foundation of Dubai's clinical, research and education structure, he said, adding, that six hospitals are planned in Healthcare City. One unique project is the introduction of pre-medical curricula at school level, he said. The education project will be the first of its kind in the region and will be led by a top Swiss education institution, he said. The project will partner with Al Jalila Foundation to offer the pre-medical curricula and prepare students for further medical training through the Mohammad bin Rashid Academic Medical Centre.