The number of licensed home healthcare facilities in Dubai rose 22.7 per cent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, climbing from 203 to 249, according to new figures from the Dubai Health Authority. The increase points to growing demand among residents for medical care delivered at home rather than in hospitals or clinics.
Across the wider health sector, the total number of licensed facilities in Dubai reached 5,931, up 7 per cent from 5,541 a year earlier. The number of licensed health professionals rose 6.5 per cent to 70,566, made up of 47,927 women and 22,639 men. Pharmacies grew 6.8 per cent to 1,794, complementary and alternative medicine centres rose 8.1 per cent to 107, and medical complexes and optical centres increased 9.9 per cent to 1,903.
The authority said it carried out 5,378 inspection visits during the period, a 36.3 per cent increase, comprising 3,154 on-site visits and 2,224 remote inspections and audits. Regulatory compliance improved to 80 per cent, up from 75 per cent a year earlier. Obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics and dermatology recorded the sharpest rise in demand among medical specialities.
"The continued growth of Dubai's health sector reflects the development of the emirate's healthcare system and its ability to respond to the community's needs," said Dr Alawi Alsheikh-Ali, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority.
The figures form part of the authority's half-year performance report for 2026 and come as the emirate continues to expand home-based and preventive care options alongside its traditional hospital network, part of a broader push to make healthcare more accessible as Dubai's population and resident base keep growing.