The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the healthcare sector regulator in the Emirate, has shut down four healthcare facilities following the discovery of serious violations of laws and regulations, and the issuance of fake sick leave certificates without conducting in-person examinations.

According to a statement released by DoH, “Investigations revealed that the facilities were issuing fraudulent sick leave certificates through WhatsApp communications.

Applicants were asked to provide personal identification, along with basic health details such as height and weight, after which they were given the facility’s bank account number to transfer AED 100 per sick leave day.”

“These certificates were then falsely documented in the patients’ medical records, completed with forged consent signatures, despite the individuals never visiting the medical centres.

The four facilities were found to be operating in coordination, using designated intermediaries to manage and distribute the issuance of these sick leaves across their operations.” it added. 

The authority decided to shut down the involved facilities “due to the criminal and disciplinary nature of their actions, which not only pose a serious threat to the integrity of the healthcare system but also involve fraudulent claims submitted to health insurance providers.”

Furthermore, all of the employees at these four healthcare facilities are now being sent for investigation by the Public Prosecution to assess the legal charges for their actions.

It also urged all healthcare providers in Abu Dhabi to strictly adhere to established regulations and standards to safeguard public health and uphold the highest levels of service quality, transparency, accountability, and trust within the healthcare system.

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The move has been welcomed by the healthcare industry, with calls for the authority to remain vigilant and take stricter action against unethical practitioners.

Leonie Coetzer, an Abu Dhabi-based Healthcare Operations leader commented: “I'm encouraged to see that the Department of Health remains vigilant in addressing unethical practices that compromise the care and safety of patients.

Unfortunately, there are still numerous clinics where serious regulatory breaches occur — such as nurses issuing prescriptions, doctors’ stamps being duplicated and misused, and patient records not being stored in accordance with legal standards. 

The current practice of providing advance notice before inspections often give these clinics time to conceal non-compliant practices. To uphold the integrity of healthcare services, the DOH should conduct more unannounced inspections, especially at 'well-regarded' clinics, and ensure inspections are thorough and not limited to areas selectively presented by staff.”