Dubai: health and social services team up to support couples before marriage

Emirati couples preparing for marriage in Dubai will be able to reach fertility and maternal health specialists through a new referral channel, after the emirate’s Community Development Authority (CDA) and Dubai Health signed a Memorandum of Understanding, the CDA said in a statement dated Sunday, November 1.

The deal covers each phase of building a family, from before conception, through pregnancy, to the period after birth. Its two stated priorities are wider awareness of reproductive health and smoother entry to specialist care, provided under approved standards.

How referrals will work

People enrolled in the CDA’s social schemes will be directed by the authority towards the health services that suit them. On the medical side, Dubai Health will draw on its Fertility Center, which is to offer expert advice on fertility, reproductive health and the health of mothers and children.

Couples who are registered in the Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum Family Programme, among them those taking part in the Dubai Weddings initiative, will get help securing appointments once the CDA refers them. That care will follow the medical rules and policies Dubai Health has approved.

Beyond clinical care, the partners intend to run lectures, workshops, events and awareness campaigns together, and to draft and review teaching material adapted to the groups they serve. According to the statement, the agreement backs both family schemes and is in line with the priorities of the Dubai Social Agenda 33.

What the two officials said

Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Director General of the Community Development Authority in Dubai, called the stability of Emirati families a central priority, one that she said depends on joined-up work across government.

“Building a stable family begins with providing the foundations for healthy family life, foremost among them health and social awareness, and access to timely support and guidance.”

Dr. Amer Sharif, CEO of Dubai Health, said his organisation wants to meet what families require throughout their lives. That includes backing couples preparing for marriage and spreading the message that prevention and sound family planning matter, he said.

Shared data to track results

The two bodies will also swap expertise and knowledge. They plan to rely on anonymised data, pooled rather than individual, to design new joint initiatives and to follow how well those initiatives perform over time.