By Kim Tae-jong
Korea and the United Arab Emirates have signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation in the healthcare sector, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Monday.
Health Ministers Chin Soo-hee and Hanif Hassan Ali Al Qassim signed a memorandum of understanding during a meeting in Abu Dhabi, Sunday, to exchange expertise and experience in healthcare during the official visit of President Lee Myung-bak to the UAE
A mutual cooperation agreement with heads of the Health Authority-Abu Dhabi and Dubai Health Authority was also signed.
The development of relations through the agreement is expected to contribute significantly in advancing the healthcare services and industry in Korea and the UAE.
Through the joint efforts, Korea can advertize for patients in the UAE, where about 8,500 patients spend about 2 billion dollars annually on overseas medical tourism, mainly in the United States, Germany, Thailand and Singapore.
In return, the UAE can receive advanced medical technology, techniques and shared experiences from Korea such as hospital management and healthcare, new research results, and healthcare and insurance policies.
Korean hospitals are also expected to open in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to take care of patients there, and medical staff from the UAE will receive training at hospitals in Korea through an exchange program.
Also included in the agreement, the two parties will create a joint committee for monitoring, follow-up and coordination as well as to determine the priorities for maximum cooperation.
The committee will comprise three members from each side and will meet at least once a year alternatively in either country.